Envy
by RedThread
Summary: AU. I could call myself a normal high school girl, but when it comes down to it, I'm not. I've fallen into a dangerous game and the only option left is to play along. Things started out simple, but now my thoughts, my very life, all depend on the actions of three men: one I love, one I'm falling for, and the other? He's dead...or will be as soon as I get close enough to kill him.
1. Why Me?

Reviews are awesome. Just saying. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any of the characters that I have borrowed to create this story.

* * *

Chapter 1: Why Me?

-Start—

I'm not sure when it started.

Or maybe it had never technically _started_; maybe it had always just '_been'._

It didn't really matter. Either way I was doomed to be miserable for the rest of my high school career, maybe even the rest of my life.

"Kagome…psst!"

I looked over my shoulder towards the sound of his voice, not surprised to find my body moving involuntarily when he called to me. I widened my eyes in an unspoken gesture, asking what he wanted.

He waited until he saw the teacher look down, and then flashed seven fingers at me. I turned back around to look at my paper before discreetly holding two fingers over my shoulder. In other words: the answer to number seven is B.

I continued to stare down at my already completed test and resume my pity party. I couldn't help but think that perhaps the only reason he was still my friend was because he wanted free answers. I mean, maybe the fact that our parents were close and the fact that we'd been around each other since kindergarten had nothing to do with it.

He was loud, brazen, gorgeous, while I, Kagome Higurashi, was quiet, shy, and very well learned in the ways of invisibility. We were total opposites, a knowledge that only reinforced my surety of an unrequited love.

I would never be anything more to him than a sister. That or a cheat sheet.

I sighed and glanced up at the clock hanging above the board, ready for the test to be over so I could find something better to distract me from these depressing thoughts.

"Please put your pencils down, and pass your test to the front."

Perfect timing.

I passed my test forward then stood up to follow the flow of people leaving the classroom for lunch.

"Hey, Kagome, wait up."

I couldn't help but grin as his voice cut through the noise, calling my name.

I paused by the doorway and watched as he stood up, simultaneously pulling his cell phone from his pocket to check his messages. His eyes stayed locked on his phone as he walked in my general direction. He had a nice walk. Smooth, athletic. I blushed and quickly feigned annoyance.

"Geez, hurry up," I chided. "We're going to be the last ones in the line…_again_."

His walk slowed to a crawl, my words obviously having the opposite effect on him. His dark eyes continued to skim across the screen of his phone, and I sighed in exasperation. "I'm _leaving,_ Inuyasha…"

But we both knew it was an empty threat; I never left him. His brow creased from whatever message he'd just read and then his phone flipped shut with a click. He shoved it back into his pocket and made his way over to me. "Yeah, yeah...I'm coming," he mumbled.

When he finally reached the doorway, we rushed into the hall, heading for our shortcut. I suspected it wasn't _really_ a shortcut at all, but it was less crowded, and therefore faster, so Inuyasha and I were usually able to beat most of the crowd to the lunchroom.

As we turned down a deserted corridor, Inuyasha began questioning me. "So what do you rank that test? On a scale from 1 to 10, I'm gonna go with an 8."

"5."

"What? Come on, you know that test was at least a 7. That was definitely the hardest one he's ever given us."

"You say that about every test we take, Inuyasha. Maybe if you studied for once or at least _acted_ like you knew what we were doing, they wouldn't seem so bad."

"Keh, it's not like I ever plan on using that shit after I get out of here."

I glanced over at him as we pushed through a door and cut across the courtyard.

"Yeah," I said reasonably, "but the _grade_ you get might affect what you do later in life." We'd reached the other side of the small courtyard and he held the door open. I quickly stepped through, trying not to shiver as I slipped past him. We were almost to the lunchroom.

"Stop being so wise Kagome," Inuyasha growled, a tinge of annoyance lacing his words. I'm sure he heard enough about grades at home. "Let's talk about something more interesting."

I rolled my eyes. "What could possibly be more interesting than discussing one of Mr. Mitsu's tests?"

"How 'bout that new girl who just transferred here? Someone texted me a picture of her and, believe me, she's _way_ more interesting."

My chest tightened uncomfortably because I knew where this was going.

"You think I could get her to go out with me?"

And there it was. I smiled tightly and tried to seem normal. "What girl in her right mind would want to go out with a stupid guy like you?"

"Cold, Kagome. I'm not that bad, am I?"

Inuyasha flashed a charming smile and I was nearly blinded by the unnatural whiteness of his teeth. I set my jaw and looked away. "Take it from me, you are definitely that bad. I mean, _I _for one, would _never_ want go out with you."

Inuyasha cut his eyes down at me and his mouth hitched in a smirk. "Good," he said, "because that would be weird if you did."

Why did I do this to myself? I knew I would get a response like that and yet I still set myself up. Depression crept in again.

When we entered the lunchroom our conversation came to an end, other people starting to drift around us and making it impossible to talk. We grabbed our food as quickly as possible and then made our way over to our normal table. Inuyasha and I separated, he going to the 'Boys' half, and I, the 'Girls'.

"Hey, hey Kagome!" said a sing-song voice. "Watcha up to?"

I smiled at Sango's greeting and plopped down next her, depositing my tray on the table a little rougher than necessary. "Oh, nothing," I grumbled. "Just wishing I had a pound of chocolate… or maybe a tub of ice-cream. You know, just some form of comfort food to comfort me."

"Uh oh, what incident was bad enough to qualify for comfort food?"

I glanced down the table at Inuyasha, who was surrounded by 4 or 5 other guys, all laughing at something he'd just said.

"Oh, nothing," I repeated sarcastically. "It's just the fact that my best friend said it would be _weird_ if we were to go out." I stirred my food around my tray in frustration. "And let's not forget the very important part where I'm _in_ _love_ with said best friend."

Sango followed my gaze and we watched as the guys joked and laughed, high-fiving each other over some (most likely stupid) comment.

"Oh," I continued, "and on top of that, he wants to try and hook up with the new girl."

Sango turned her attention back to me, a frown pulling the sides of her mouth down. "You sound like you're going to need a lot more than comfort food, Kagome."

"Yeah," I sighed as I shoveled a fork load of food in my mouth. "I know."

"Alright!" Sango exclaimed in a sudden burst of excitement. "Looks like it's definitely time for another Pity Party! We'll be sleeping at _your_ house this time, and _I'll_ be bringing the movies."

I couldn't help but smile at Sango's enthusiasm. She was the only one who knew about my one-sided crush, and she was always ready to help me feel better when Inuyasha got a new girlfriend or went on a date. I myself had never really been on a date… or been kissed for that matter.

How depressing. Here I was a 17 year old girl who hadn't even had her first kiss, while I was sure that over half the girls around me probably weren't even virgins anymore. I slouched in my seat and felt my appetite disappear.

"At least eat, Kagome. Loss of appetite is a symptom of severe depression and I'll have to stop hanging with you if you go all 'kill-me-now' emo."

I pouted, but obediently forced more food into my mouth. What would I do without Sango? She had been taking care of me since 6th grade.

We'd first met in gym class through a friendly game of doubles tennis. And by friendly, I mean that we were on the same team and beat the crap out of every other pair we went up against. It was awesome; a particularly bright spot in my memories.

"Hey, look you guys. There she is, that new transfer girl." Ayame, another girl at our table, was looking towards the office entrance, which also happened to be in the lunchroom. Apparently she wasn't the only one looking. The entire Boys side had gone peculiarly silent.

I maneuvered my body so that I could comfortably view this new girl, whoever she was. She obviously looked good…or either really bad. Only those two extremities were ever able to make the whole boys side shut up.

When my eyes finally found her I felt myself freeze. It was like looking into a mirror; she had the same exact face shape, the same dark brown eyes, long dark hair, light pale skin.

If _I_ didn't know I didn't have a twin sister, then as a stranger, I would have thought otherwise. It was like she was my other half, the tall, beautiful, graceful half that I lacked. I watched as she and a student council member made their way out of the lunchroom, her long, straight hair swinging down her back in a low ponytail as she followed him.

And then the whole table found its voice again, everyone speaking at once.

"Holy crap! Did you _see _her?"

"I'm so jealous of all that gorgeous black hair."

"Damn. Maybe I should join the student council."

"She has a great complexion."

"Think she'll bear my children?"

"Shutup, Miroku. She's mine. I already staked my claim, didn't I, Kagome?"

I turned myself back around at the sound of Inuyasha's voice, still feeling a little shocked. Obviously nobody else had noted the similarities between the new girl and I. But, then again, she was so made-up and perfect that besides the face shape, eye and hair color, we really didn't look the same.

"Ay! Kagome! Are you listening? I need you as a witness!"

I looked down the table at Inuyasha and all his buddies and confirmed that, yes, Inuyasha did mention something about going out with the new girl. They turned back towards each other and resumed their male arguing, and I looked back at Sango.

"Kagome," she started, "I'm not sure if you noticed, but… you have a twin sister."

"Oh, I noticed all right," I said dourly, "nearly gave me a heart attack too. It's actually quite scary to look up and see oneself coming through a door."

"You know, I'm surprised nobody else seemed to notice." Sango glanced around the table quizzically.

"Pfft," I snorted. "I'm basically a wallflower, Sango. The only time I'm ever noticed is when Inuyasha talks to me."

Sango rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, Kagome. Everybody knows you who you are. You're the girl with the highest Grade Point Average in the whole grade."

"Exactly, and nobody wants to talk to a geek like me."

I watched as Sango quirked an eyebrow. "Are you trying to say I'm a _nobody_?"

I grinned at her. "That's right, how does it feel to be a nobody with a geeky friend?"

"It feels like this nobody is about to stab her geeky friend with a fork unless said geeky friend changes her attitude _real_ fast_…"_

We both burst out laughing as Sango accidentally swung her fork upward, sending a small grape flying into the side of Miroku's head. Miroku and the guys turned to stare at our hysterical laughing, and food battle 2009 might have been declared if the bell hadn't rung.

I actually left the lunchroom feeling a _teeny_ bit better than before.

But only a _teeny_ bit.

* * *

"Class, I'd like to introduce you to Kikyo Hinode. She's just transferred from Kyoto, and I'd like for all of you to make her welcome." Mr. Mitsu finished his little introduction, and then turned it over to the girl herself.

Kikyo Hinode stared at the class with unsure eyes.

"…Um, hi. Nice to meet all of you." She tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear and then silently walked to her seat, which happened to be settled in the row right between Inuyasha and Miroku.

"Believe me, the pleasure is all mine," a guy whispered lewdly after she'd walked by so only his friends could hear.

I rolled my eyes and turned away from the group of guys sitting in front of me only to find that the back of the room was full of them too. Kikyo was surrounded on all sides and looking more than a little uncomfortable. I sighed._ Maybe I should be a good female classmate and help the poor girl out._

I was actually about to get up and squeeze my way through the crowd when I noticed that maybe she didn't need as much help as I'd thought. It was like her face had changed, like a mask had come up. All awkwardness and insecurity faded away as she sat calmly in her desk and answered the barrage of questions that was being thrown at her.

"How old are you?"

"17."

"Why did you move to Tokyo?"

"Familial matters."

"Do need help getting around the school?"

"Uh, sure."

"Will you bear my children?"

"_What?"_

Inuyasha shot Miroku a dirty look before asking his own question. "Can I walk you home?"

I watched as the mask on her face slipped for a second before being replaced.

"No," she said firmly, "I'll be fine." They stared at each other long enough to make me feel uncomfortable. It was an intense stare, as though she was attempting to tell him something with her eyes.

Inuyasha recovered the conversation with a smile, though it seemed a little forced. "Maybe sometime later?"

She returned the smile stiffly and shrugged.

I frowned, a little hurt that Inuyasha had asked her that. I mean, usually he walked home with me. But maybe that was only because we had to walk the same way; we were neighbors after all.

"Ok class, that's enough introduction. Let's calm down and get started."

Everybody obediently dispersed from Kikyo's desk and moved back to their own.

"Now today we will be moving into the Feudal Era section, so please open your textbooks to page 211."

I gave a silent moan as I searched for my pencil. _Really?_ As if today couldn't get any worse. Somebody had taken it.

I turned to ask Inuyasha for a spare one, but stopped short at the scene behind me. He'd scooted his desk flush against Kikyo's so she could share his book. His head was bent towards her own, and they were whispering in hushed tones.

My. Weren't they cozy?

"Um…Inuyasha?"

He looked up.

"You wouldn't happen to have an extra pencil would you?"

"Oh, sorry, I just gave my last spare to Kikyo."

_Of course_.

She smiled apologetically.

Whatever, it wasn't going to get to me. But I still needed a pencil.

"Here, you can have one of mine."

I reluctantly looked away from Inuyasha and Kikyo and stared down at the pencil lying on my desk.

"Oh. Thanks, Koga," I sighed. "I owe you one."

"It's all good."

"Higurashi, Ookami, be quiet and pay attention."

Koga rolled his eyes at Mr. Mitsu and I bowed my head over my book.

How come _Inuyasha_ and _Kikyo_ didn't get in trouble for talking?

* * *

Sango and I trudged up the steep hill that would eventually lead to the shrine stairs and then my house. Inuyasha and Miroku walked behind us, discussing Kikyo (surprise, surprise).

"I can't believe she's in your class, and sitting next to him no less," Sango whispered. "How did you take it?"

"Let's just say I'm ready to order a triple layer chocolate cake."

"Ouch. That bad, huh?"

I snuggled into my coat as a cool autumn breeze brushed past, blowing my hair into disarray. "I just don't know what to do anymore, Sango; I'll never change in his eyes. I mean, even though Kikyo and I are practically identical, he's obviously way more attracted to her than me."

"Well, she does look a bit more refined than you," Sango admitted.

"Oh geez, thanks _best friend_, you really know how to make me feel tons better."

"Look, all I'm saying is-," she stopped walking. "_That's_ _it,_ Kagome!"

I threw a crazy look at Sango as her face lit up and her voice grew excited. Both boys stopped behind us and stared.

She caught their bemused expressions and turned on them. "Stop staring and mind your own business!" She cast a suspicious glance over her shoulder before drawing me in to reveal her revelation. "Kagome, this weekend I'm going to give you a _makeover._ You'll be a whole new person!"

I rolled my eyes. "Are you kidding me?"

"Oh, come on, it'll be fun! We can go shopping, and do your hair and… Please, Kagome! Say yes!"

"Well," I said hesitantly, watching her get worked up. "I guess I could give it a shot."

"Alright!" She grinned. "Come on, let's dump these jerks and get to your house so we have time to go the mall."

I increased my pace in a vain attempt to keep up with Sango.

The boys watched us go, confusion written on their faces.

Sango's plans were usually pass or fail.

I wasn't too happy about my odds.

-End-

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Review! Please.

Chapter 2 will be out shortly!

_-RedThread_


	2. Jeans That Eat You

Here's Chapter 2!

Let me know what you think! I love reviews.

And thank you to those who did.

Oh by the way…I know that usually the schools in Japan make their students wear uniforms, but this is an exception. The school Kagome and Co. go to has been westernized and the students can wear casual clothing.

Enjoy! :)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Inuyasha or any of the characters that I have borrowed to create this story.

* * *

Chapter 2: Jeans That Eat You

-Start—

Ugh… what had I gotten myself into?

I looked at my reflection in the mirror of the dressing room Sango had forcefully thrown me into, wondering how I was supposed to squeeze into the pair of jeans she had given me.

A couple of grunts and a few minutes later, I walked out of the small room, jeans and shirt in place.

"Hmm, I don't like the jeans, take them off," Sango said critically.

"Are you serious? Do you know how much physical labor it took to get myself into these? Darnit, Sango, you better not complain if I'm in there 20 more minutes peeling these things off."

"Well, at least the shirt looks good," she commented, eyes glinting with amusement. Secretly, I think she enjoyed my discomfort.

I stomped back in the dressing room and commenced removing the skin tight jeans.

I watched myself in mirror, posing this way and that. Well, the shirt _did_ look good. It was a green polo that made me look stylish and casual at the same time, which was what I was going for. My usual style consisted of a T- shirt and jeans. I mean, the only thing more comfortable was a T- shirt and sweat pants, and I was all about comfort.

Skin tight jeans did not equal comfort.

I fell out of the dressing room in a breathless heap approximately 10 minutes later. Sango simply laughed.

"So you won the war, huh?"

"Yeah, barely. Those things put up a good fight. I was nearly done in."

Sango rolled her eyes. "Come on." She grabbed my arm and toted me toward the checkout counter. "Are you going to get that shirt? I really do think it looks good on you; it gives you that sporty, intelligent look. And besides that, it's on sale."

"Oh really, how much?"

"30% off. It's a good deal."

"Ok. I need something to prove my efforts from today anyways."

She laughed and we headed to the checkout counter. A few minutes later we were out of that store and heading to the next.

"Sango," I complained as we walked, "can't you at least pick out some jeans that don't try to become one with my skin?"

She shrugged. "I can't help it. That's how all the jeans are made these days." Her attention focused on a store behind me. "Hey! Let's try that surf shop; they usually have some sporty looking jeans that aren't tight enough to eat you."

I sighed in relief when I saw the store she was pointing at. It was definitely one I could shop in.

After a few minutes of browsing, Sango and I met in the back of the store, near the dressing rooms, each of us laden down with an armload of jeans and shirts. I looked at Sango, my eyebrows raised.

"Er, well…I thought I'd try on a few things too," she said with a sheepish expression on her face.

I laughed. "I thought you were going to force _me_ to try on all those clothes."

She grinned and threw a few choice items at me. "Nope. Just these." I groaned as she disappeared into a cubicle.

We met a few minutes later in the small hallway, sharing the mirror at the end and critiquing each others outfit. And then so on and so forth until the huge stacks of clothes were reduced to about 2 outfits. We walked out feeling pretty good about ourselves...and _not_ so good about our wallets.

"I'm afraid our little shopping excursion must come to an end, Sango. I'm broke."

She sighed. "Yeah, me too. We really need to find ourselves a job."

"Agreed."

We continued on our way out of the crowded mall and to the small Honda that my mother and I shared. After we managed to shove all of our packages (which in total equaled 3, yeah, that's how small the car is) we loaded ourselves in and headed back toward my house.

Sango turned sideways in her seat, so her back was against the window, and let her critical gaze rake over my face...and hair. She let out a sudden burst of excitement in the form of a squeal. "Oh Kagome! I'm _so _excited! Let's work on your hair tonight, ok?"

"Quit squealing, Sango," I chided playfully, "it makes me want to drive into a ditch. And just what exactly are you planning to do with my hair?"

She ignored my complaint and answered my question. "Well, I think we should try and straighten it, and then do something with your bangs…"

"What's wrong with my bangs?"

"I don't know. They just kind of stick up and go every which way. I mean, they wouldn't be very hard to fix, and I'm sure they would look much better tamed."

I glanced over at my best friend with an insulted look. "How many years have you let me go around with untamed bangs? Huh, Sango? No wonder nobody will talk to me. I have untamed _bangs._"

She laughed. "They look fine Kagome; I'm just saying they could look better."

I pouted, letting her know she still wasn't completely forgiven.

We pulled up to a stop sign, and I saw a figure enter the grocery store across from us. A figure I vaguely recognized. "Hey, isn't that Kikyo?"

Sango squinted in the direction I was pointing. "Yeah, looks like it. Her mom must be making her do the shopping. Sucks for her, I always hate going grocery shopping."

We studied the new girl in silence until she disappeared from our view.

I took my turn at the 4- way stop, and then broke the silence with another conversation about my untamed hair.

* * *

By the time we had gotten the car unloaded, eaten dinner, and each taken a shower, we both decided that we were too tired to start on my hair. Instead, we stuck a chick flick in the DVD player and settled down with a bowl of popcorn between us.

The movie was about a woman who was in love with her boss, even though he clearly thought they were only friends. Then one day, after some ridiculous attempts made by the woman, _BAM,_ it's like he finally saw the lady for who she was, realized he was in love with her. They then had a blissful marriage and lived happily ever after.

Right. As if that would ever really happen.

"Sango? Why can't real life work out like that?"

"Beats me…," she shoved a last bit of popcorn into her mouth. "But it seems like it'd be too easy if everything worked out just perfectly like that."

I rolled over to look at her. We were both squished on my twin bed, a feat that we had mastered over the years. "Do you think Inuyasha will finally notice me after this makeover?"

"Oh, please, he's known you for _years_ Kagome. Truth is, he's probably _already_ noticed you and doesn't want to ruin the friendship you guys share by making a move." Sango paused and her voice and eyes became softer. "But even if he doesn't notice you, it's not the end of the world. He's not the only guy out there, Kagome. And if he loses you, well, then, that's his loss. You're a great person and you deserve someone who can see you no matter how good or bad you look."

I smiled at her. "Sango, you can be rather insensitive at times, but you actually scrape out some pretty inspirational crap when you feel like it."

She sat up from the bed taking a pillow with her so she could slam it back down on my head. "And what exactly does that mean?"

"It means...," I mumbled from under the pillow. She removed it so I could speak better. "It means..." I started again, "that I'm glad you're my friend."

She looked down at me for a touched moment, giving me ample time to grab my own pillow and thump it into the side of her head.

"Oh," she laughed, "you're on." She tightened her grip on her own pillow and leapt at me.

* * *

I fell into my bed on Sunday night, exhausted. All day Saturday, Sango and I had worked on hair and make-up, and she had finally left around 9:00 that night, thoroughly fatigued.

Today I had been busy doing my chores around the shrine, wishing I could be reading in the lazy sunlight, or even better, sleeping. But Grandpa was like a slave driver and refused to let me quit before dinner time.

After dinner I was met with my mother's rage about how many feathers were scattered around my room and how much hair care was piled everywhere, and thus forced to clean my room.

Finally, after all that back breaking labor, I was able to get ready for bed and lie down.

As I lay in bed, my head began to fill with thoughts of tomorrow, and how everybody (most importantly Inuyasha) would react. I was beginning to get butterflies in my stomach, which made it almost impossible to go to sleep.

My weariness from the day finally overpowered my nervous brain, and slipped quietly into slumber.

* * *

The next morning Sango met me at school early, so I wouldn't have to walk with Inuyasha. She only agreed to it because she wanted to see his reaction when he saw my transformation. I did look great, if I do say so myself.

I had on my green polo, a pair of dark jeans that looked fashionably raggy, and a pair of white Pumas to complete the outfit. My hair was a long black waterfall that fell straight down my back, and my bangs were properly tamed. My eyes showed just the barest tint of dark eye shadow, along with a light coat of mascara to top them off.

I fiddled nervously with the small green earrings dangling from my ears, knowing it was about time for Inuyasha to turn up.

"Kagome, if you don't stop it I'm going to have to slap you."

I winced and dropped my hand, trying to force myself to relax.

"Look," Sango nodded, "there they are. Now just take a deep breath, and be cool."

I watched as Inuyasha and Miroku walked through the door, surrounded by their usual entourage. The group began making its way toward us and I could feel the butterflies in my stomach start up again.

I bit my bottom lip, all the worse case scenarios running through my head. What if he didn't like it? What if he _said_ he didn't like it? What if… What if….

His dark eyes flashed over my body in quick appraisal. I swear I was holding my breath.

"Nice." Inuyasha's gaze flitted over to Sango, taking her in as well, before continuing to speak. "Have either of you seen Kikyo? I promised I'd help her with her locker this morning."

I stared at him, my mind blank.

_That was it? _

Inuyasha stared back at us expectantly, and Sango finally found her voice. "Uh, Kikyo's right over there, I think."

Inuyasha glanced in the direction she indicated and then walked away. I expected tears, but instead I found anger welling up inside of me._ Nice?_ That was the best response I could get?

Then again, what had I been expecting? An instant declaration of love? A knight in shining armor?

Somewhere in my heart, that little part that was guarded by lovely fairytales, I knew I did. Just for once in my life, I wanted to play the part of princess, not sidekick.

A loud voice snapped me back into reality.

"Whoa, _Kagome_?" Mirouku appeared from somewhere behind. "For a second I thought you were Kikyo." He paused to study my new look and then beamed at me pervertedly. "I like it!"

"Gee. Thanks, Miroku."

The other people who had walked in with Inuyasha and Miroku crowded around me, exclaiming over my new clothes and hair. Even Ayame and Yura came over (in fact, Yura was getting a little creepy over how much she loved my hair).

But the crowd soon grew too big, and the teachers were forced to take action and dissolve it.

"See, Kagome! Everyone loves your new look! Even Inuyasha said something," Sango said cheerily.

I looked sideways at her and tried to smile, knowing that what she said was true, but still feeling inexplicably pissed at Inuyasha. Maybe it was due to the fact that he had graced me with one word and then stalked off, not 10 seconds after he'd gotten here, in search of _K__ikyo._

I was suddenly wrenched from my thoughts and pulled to a halting stop as Sango's hand shot out and clamped onto my arm, pausing our progression down the hallway.

"Uh, Kagome…," she trailed off. "Check out our new locker buddy." I peered down the long hall, in the direction she was nodding.

Are. You. _Kidding. Me_?

I watched as Kikyo reached up to put something into her locker, which was conveniently located right next to mine. Her movement caused her long hair to fall over her shoulder in a rippling wave. Inuyasha stood next to her, trying to make conversation.

I stopped and took a deep breath before following after Sango. I attempted to pass off a half-hearted wave in Kikyo's general direction.

"And good morning to you too, Inuyasha," I snapped while facing my locker and furiously spinning in the combination.

He tilted his head in a silent greeting and then grew stiff, shifting his gaze back and forth between Kikyo and I. "Is...is it me, or do you two look insanely alike?"

I had to seriously restrain myself from banging my head into the lockers. Kikyo, meanwhile, just looked at Inuyasha politely, and continued rearranging her books and folders. Sango quirked an eyebrow impatiently. "Oi! Dog-boy... you're in my way. Move so I can get to my locker."

Her outburst caused a sudden thought to strike me. _Kikyo must be human, like Sango and I._

I checked her finger as she put her hand on her locker door to see if she wore the little ring that all demons were required to wear while at school.

The "Human Rings" caused demons (or half- demons, like in Inuyasha's case) to be disguised in human form. Due to the complaints from human parents that some youkai forms were too much of a classroom disturbance, a law was passed, stating that during the school day, all youkai students were required to wear a "Human Ring".

Inuyasha grumbled at Sango before lumbering off to his own locker further down the hallway.

As I stood waiting for Sango to get the things she needed from her locker, I looked over at Kikyo (who was still rearranging her stuff, I mean, how much stuff could there possibly be to rearrange in that little locker?) and smiled.

"So, uh, my name is Kagome Higurashi and that's Sango Tanaka. I don't think we were properly introduced the other day."

Kikyo closed her locker (finally) and turned towards me, mask firmly in place. "Nice to meet you both, I'm Kikyo Hinode."

We stood there, awkwardly.

"Um," I fumbled around for conversation, "is Inuyasha annoying you? He can be quite pushy sometimes." I watched as she angled her head sideways and delicately tucked a strand of hair behind a small ear before responding.

"Actually, I think he's pretty funny. He's been a great help in seeing that I get to where I need to be and whatnot."

Great. So they were making a good connection. Time to change the subject before I end up punching somebody.

"Sango and I saw you the other day…"

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, you were going into the grocery store down at that 4- way stop, near the mall."

I saw her mask slip slightly.

"I was getting... um, stuff for dinner."

The warning bell rang, signaling us to class, and Kikyo's face became cool and detached again.

Sango slammed her locker shut and we all headed off to class. I waved a sad hand of farewell to her as we separated.

* * *

When Kikyo and I entered the classroom it was already time to settle down for class. I watched as Inuyasha slid his desk over to Kikyo's, text book out and ready.

She sat down with a slight smile on her face, but other than that, regarded with a quiet air of unfamiliarity.

"Today class," Mr. Mitsu announced as he walked in the classroom, "we will be starting a project that will require partner work."

I perked up and turned around to make eye contact with Inuyasha, like I always did when it was announced that we would be having partners. But as soon as I saw Kikyo nod her head, I knew that I was being abandoned.

I slowly turned back around, stung that Inuyasha would be her partner before mine. This had to be the first time we weren't partners on a project since, I don't know, oh say, _kindergarten_. We'd somehow managed to be together in the same class every year, and partners on every single project.

I tried to focus on the rest of the explanation that Mr. Mitsu was giving, forcing myself not to think about my abandonment.

When he was finished I got up and walked back to Inuyasha and Kikyo, deciding maybe I had come to the wrong conclusion.

Inuyasha looked up as my shadow fell over him.

"So, um, what's the deal Inuyasha?" I asked.

"Sorry, Kagome," he shrugged apologetically. "I just asked Kikyo to be my partner, you know, since she doesn't know anybody."

Right. I bet every male in the class would have been willing to be her partner.

Inuyasha looked at me with pleading eyes that seem to say '_Come on, Kagome, support me here.'_

I stared back at him, relaying my own message. _'But __we're__ always partners.'_

'_Please Kagome, I'm trying to get her to like me.'_

'_You can do that some other time.'_

'_I have a chance right here.'_

'_But...'_

'_Please?'_

'_But, I….' _ I broke eye contact and frowned. '_Fine__ then.'_

"Okay. It's whatever." I stomped off, finding that my resolve was substantially weakened against those stupid puppy eyes (which he had a natural talent at making).

But now I didn't have a partner.

"Hey, Kagome? Did you and Inuyasha just have, like, a silent conversation?"

I glanced over at the owner of the voice, meeting Koga's quizzical blue gaze.

I sighed. "Something like that... Say, you wouldn't happen to need a partner, would you? I don't have one."

"You can be my partner, but just to let you know, I have absolutely no idea what we're supposed to be doing."

I rolled my eyes sarcastically and cracked a smile. "What a surprise."

His eyebrows drew together. "What's that supposed to mean?"

I pushed his shoulder, making him move off the desk he was currently perched on. "Nothing, just that you're a wolf demon, and probably have the best hearing in the class, yet you still manage to hear absolutely nothing the teacher says."

"My hearings not the problem," he snorted, "I just choose not to listen to him."

"Ahh, so you have selective hearing?"

"Exactly. I only listen to beautiful things; like my music."

"Or my beautiful voice?" I added.

"Especially your beautiful voice," he confirmed.

I laughed at the serious expression on his face, making him lose concentration and grin along with me. "Well, _I_ was halfway listening," I admitted, "so we at least have a basic idea of what we're supposed to be doing."

Koga's features hardened again in seriousness. "Higurashi… if you make me fail this project, I'm going to have to hunt you down."

"Koga, have I ever failed a project?"

"Good point."

* * *

Working with Koga didn't turn out to be so bad. He had a rugged sense of humor that I found quite hilarious, and he even threw out a few compliments on my new look.

"What's with the change though?"

I just shrugged, claiming I felt like it. No way was I going to admit that it had been for Inuyasha.

We got far as we were supposed to on the first day, and then we just sat and chatted until the bell rang for lunch.

I tried to walk with Inuyasha, but saw that he was still busy with Kikyo, so I caught up to Koga instead and walked to lunch with he and his "pack". I was introduced to a kid named Ginta, a hilarious guy with a whack sort of fashion, and his comrade in crime, Hakkaku, who had a nice mohawk. Talk about distractions in class, his human appearance couldn't have been much of an improvement over his youkai one.

We separated when we reached the lunchroom, and I left reluctantly, still laughing.

I got my food as quick as the lines would allow, and sank into my normal seat next to Sango, who always managed to get to the lunchroom earlier than everyone else for some suspicious reason.

"So, how hash your day gonsh," she asked around a mouthful of mashed potatoes.

"Please repeat."

She gulped the mouthful down. "How has your day gone?"

"Actually, it's turned out to be pretty good." I waved my fork around in a swishing gesture. "Oh, well, if you skip over the part where Inuyasha _ditched_ me, once again, for _Kikyo_."

I glared down at the end of the table where Kikyo sat next to Ayame and Yura.

"Humph," I grumbled, "she seems to be in a good mood. She'd barely talk to me this morning and now look at her. She's acting like she's known _them_ all her life." I watched as she threw her head back and laughed at something Ayame said.

"Well, some people just don't click, if you know what I mean," Sango intoned.

"I think I do...," I said darkly.

I finished lunch and the rest of the day in a bad mood.

* * *

"Hey, Kagome!"

I paused and glanced over my shoulder to look at the figure bounding after me down the sidewalk, silver hair flying. Inuyasha must have taken his ring off.

"Why ya walking so fast?" he complained. Usually he and I would walk home together, but he had stayed to talk to Kikyo, so I'd left him. I ignored his question and continued walking at a furious pace. He stretched his legs and easily kept up with me, arms raised behind his head in apparent nonchalance.

"You know, Kagome, you seem to be in a bad mood today. Did something happen?"

I stared straight ahead and clenched my jaw. "Oh nothing, besides the fact that my project partner for over 12 years _abandoned_ me today for the _new girl,_" I huffed.

He studied me from the corner of his eye. "Oh, come on, Kagome, you know I like her. Can't you make an exception just this once?"

I spun on him. "Just this once? Please, you know every time we need a partner in class now, you're going to run straight to her like a love struck puppy."

"_What?_" he hissed, eyes narrowing in anger. "Like you have a right to talk! You and Koga seemed to be getting along _great_! Laughing so loud I could barely even _hear_ Kikyo!"

At the mention of her name, I temporarily lost what little control of my temper I had so far maintained. "That's because _Koga_ is funny, unlike _some_ people I know." I pointedly glared at Inuaysha, noting that his ears were starting to twitch in irritation.

"Are you trying to pick a fight, Kagome? I don't get what your problem is, but you've been acting weird lately, and I'm just about sick of it!"

"Me?" I shot back. "_You're_ the one who barely knows when someone is talking to him because _Kikyo_ just walked by!"

Inuyasha crossed his arms and stared down at me coldly. "You know, it looks to me like you've got a problem with Kikyo." I flinched as he said her name. "Is that it?" he bit out sarcastically. "Has she said something in the _2_ conversations you've had with her that's pissed you off?"

I ground my teeth in frustration and glared at him furiously, my hands clenched by my sides. He glared back. I finally turned away and walked as fast as I could toward home. "Just forget about it, Inuyasha. I don't want to talk to you right now."

"Same here," he growled, determined to get a last word in.

Whether he followed me home or took another route, I don't know, because I was too busy cursing him and his stupid disability to see how bad he was hurting me.

* * *

When I finally reached the house, I ran up to my room and dropped my bag on my bed before clambering back down the stairs in search of my mother.

I needed to tell her not to let that stupid hanyou into our house. I found Mama in the small family dining room setting up extra plates and glasses. She pushed her bangs back and glanced up at me.

"There you are Kagome. Can you go and grab some extra silverware? I need about 4 more sets."

"Who's coming over?" I asked, a feeling of dread coiling in my stomach.

"Oh, I just invited Inuyasha's family over for dinner. I know you and Inuyasha see each other all the time at school, but it's been a while since we've all gotten together for supper, hasn't it?"

I felt the blood drain from my face. I vaguely recall mumbling an "Oh, okay" before stumbling into the kitchen to fetch the needed silverware.

_Great._

What was I going to do? After that little scene on the way home, things were bound to be awkward. And if our parents noticed the strained air between us, we'd no doubt be questioned like criminals until they got some answers.

I snapped out of my daze and grabbed some extra sets of silverware, beginning to form a plan as I set them in their appropriate spots on the table.

There was only one thing to do at a time like this.

I needed to call Sango_._

Her plans were either pass or fail, but at this point, I'd take my chances.

-End-

* * *

Thus ends the second chapter of _'Envy'._

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-_RedThread_


	3. Breaking the Tension

Hello everybody! Here's chapter 3. :)

Like the story? Then review and tell me!

Enjoy! :D

**Disclaimer:** Nope, still don't own Inuyasha….

* * *

Chapter 3: Breaking the Tension

-Start—

"_Hello?"_

"Sango? Hey, can you meet me at the ice cream shop down the street for a sec? I need to tell you something."

"_Ugh, Kagome Do I have to? Why can't you call Inuyasha and tell him? He's the **other** best friend you can bother."_

I smiled grimly, "Not anymore."

"_I'll be there in ten.__"_

"See Ya."

I slapped my cell phone shut with a snap, and grabbed my purse before bounding down the stairs for the second time that night.

"Mom! I'm going to meet Sango!"

"Be back before dinner!" she cried from somewhere in the house.

"M'kay!"

And I was out the door, running down the street full tilt.

* * *

Despite the chill that was beginning to creep into the air as the sun set, I sat down outside the quaint little ice cream shop and waited for Sango to arrive. I snuggled into my jacket and faintly registered that the small shop was looking for help.

"Hey! I'm here." I watched Sango jog up, her breath puffing in the cold air.

"Hurry and sit down, I don't have long."

"Okay, spill," she said as she settled down next to me on the little bench that sat against the wall of the building.

"Well, long story short, Inuyasha and I had a fight, and now we aren't speaking."

"Hmm…and your problem is getting him to talk to you again?"

"Pfft. Hardly. This time he's really pissed me off...taking her side over mine." I grumbled. "Can't believe him."

"So then, what's your problem?" Sango asked.

I took a deep breath in a vain attempt to sooth my nerves. "Well," I started, "we just had this fight on the way home, right?"

Sango nodded her head.

"So I barge in the door of the house and plan on telling Mama that that stupid Hanyou is no longer welcome in our home, and guess what?"

"Uh…what?"

Ignoring Sango's obvious un-enthusiasm I continued on with my story in an outraged tone.

"She's invited the stupid dog and his family over for dinner tonight! And now I'm going to be forced to sit at the same table with him for who knows _how_ long!" I breathed in and out, breathless from my anger. "What am I supposed to do? Make-up with him and admit I was wrong, or just ignore him and then face my mom _and _his parents?"

Sango sat next to me quiet thoughtfulness, hand on chin in a classical "thinker" pose. "Well," she ventured, "you do still _like like_ him right?"

"_Like like_ him? I'm in love with the frickin' idiot! That's why I'm so mad at him in the first place!"

"Maybe I would understand better if you tell me what the fight was about," Sango said calmly.

I lowered my voice back to a normal level and proceeded to tell Sango about our fight and the stinging separation afterward.

"Geez, I wouldn't be so willing to make up with the jerk either. Remind me why you like him again?"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm starting to wonder myself."

I couldn't figure why I was so upset either. This wasn't the first time Inuyasha had been infatuated with some girl. I guess it was just the fact that I'd been trying to gain his affections for nearly 17 years, and then this Kikyo chick comes traipsing in and manages to capture him in less than 48 hours.

I shouldn't blame her either really. It wasn't her fault Inuyasha was obsessed with her. She hadn't even encouraged him either, as far as I knew.

"Sangoooo." I moaned after a lengthy silence. "What should I do?"

"I think you should talk with him at the dinner table…but not in a particularly friendly way. Make sure it sounds all nice and dandy to the parents, but insulting to him. Get what I'm saying?"

"Hmm, that way it works out both ways. I can still be mad at Inuyasha, but not have to be pried with questions about it from the parents. I like the way you think, Sango."

Now I just needed to sort out what I was going to say.

I looked down at my watch and gasped at the time. "Crap! It's quarter 'til 7! I'm barely going to make it home in time!"

I stood up and gave Sango a quick hug before yelling my thanks and good-byes over my shoulder and racing back towards the house.

* * *

I was nearly home, with about 10 minutes to spare. Now I just needed to find a fast way up all those pesky stairs that led to my house.

I glanced down at my watch once more, and promptly ran into something hard and unmoving. I fell to the ground in a startled heap, rubbing my head and wondering when exactly a wall had been placed in the middle of the sidewalk. I glanced up and was surprised to see a pair of bright blue eyes staring back down at me.

"Kagome? Are you ok?"

I thought I dimly recognized the masculine voice, but it took me a while to connect it to a person. "Koga?"

"Yeah. What are you doing running full speed into people's backs, huh? Don't you know you're supposed to run with your eyes open?"

"Shut up and help me off the ground," I commanded. "Why are you out here in the middle of the side-walk anyways?"

"Me? I was innocently walking home, and then some rude girl ran up and tackled me."

"You live around here?" I interrupted.

"Yup. My family just moved in over there, down the street," he said, pointing to a small two story house with a tiny garage sticking out to the side.

"Oh, really? I live right there, at the top of all those stairs, which I'm currently trying to figure the fastest way up."

Koga crossed his arms against his chest and raised an eyebrow. "I'm going to take a brilliant deductive leap and guess you're in a hurry to get home."

"Well, you're not as dense as you seem, at least."

"You know," he replied, "I'm not the one run running with my eyes closed."

"Whatever." I punched him on the shoulder good naturedly before turning back toward the stairs. "Well, it's going to take me at least 5 minutes to get up these things, so I'd better get started, seeing as I was due home, oh, negative 10 minutes ago."

Koga looked up the long flight of steps. "You know, I could give you a lift, if you want."

I stared at him from over my shoulder in confusion. "A lift? On what?"

He grinned, fangs glinting. "My back. It'd take me 30 seconds to get to the top. Easy."

I turned back around to face him, planting both hands on my hips, and smirked at his boasting. "Oh, yeah? Prove it."

* * *

30 seconds later I was glued to Koga's back, but up the stairs nonetheless. It took some coaxing from him to finally get me to loosen my grip from around his waist and neck and slide to the ground.

"Not that I mind having a pretty girl wrapped around me," he teased.

My face flamed and I pushed away from him hurriedly. "Thanks," I mumbled uncomfortably. "For bringing me up here, I mean."

Koga smiled playfully and turned away from me, ready to head back down. "See ya, Kagome!"

I watched as he disappeared down the stairs and out of sight.

"Awfully friendly, aren't you guys?"

I spun around at the sound of Inuyasha's voice, surprised to find him perched in a tree above my head. He dropped off of the branch, and landed in a silent crouch next to me.

"You guys are closer than I thought," he said coldly.

I flinched at the hostility in his voice, but turned away from him in an attempt to act as though it didn't affect me. "Not like it's any of your business who I'm close to," I sniffed.

"Right. I can't get friendly with Kikyo, but you can go piggy-backing with that mangy wolf?"

I rolled my eyes in annoyance. "He's not a mangy wolf, Inuyasha. Koga's a nice guy."

"Yeah, and Kikyo's a nice girl."

Touché.

I stared at him levelly, my dark eyes boring into his golden ones. "I never said she wasn't."

"Then stop being such a bitch about this and drop it."

"A wha- …Did you?…What did you just call me?" I sputtered. The deadly silence I'd gathered about me shattered.

"You heard me. Do I need to repeat myself?"

Being around him most of my life had allowed me to become immune to his cussing, but never in all the years that I'd known him had he cussed _at _me. Let alone called me a bitch. I could feel angry tears brimming in my eyes; anger at him and his foul words, and anger at myself for letting those words affect me so much.

I turned and walked toward the house at a steady pace, refusing to let him see me cry.

"Kagome. This conversation isn't over."

My reply was nothing more than the door slamming shut behind me.

* * *

I glared across the table at Inuyasha; all thoughts of being civil vanished. So much for the plan Sango and I had come up with. I was so angry I could barely speak to anyone, so I sat with my fork poised at my mouth ready to plunge in at the sign of conversation.

The air was crackling with tension, and I was surprised nobody else seemed to be taking notice. Usually he and I would be right next to each other, heads pressed together, discussing someone from school or laughing at some stupid joke he heard from Miroku.

But not tonight.

No. In fact, aside from all the glaring, we could barely manage to even look at each other.

Just as I had polished off my last rice ball though, the inevitable happened, and I was drawn into a conversation with Inuyasha's mother.

"So how are you Kagome? You've been awfully quiet this evening."

I scooted my fork around my empty plate, thinking of an excuse. I went close to the truth as possible.

"Oh, I'm fine, really! I… I just feel a little tired, that's all," I smiled in an attempt to strengthen my weak statement, knowing Izayoi could probably see straight through it.

She smiled back gently and graciously changed the subject. "You look very nice today. Did you do something different with your hair?"

I started in with all the details of the past weekend's shopping trip and make-over, laughing with Izayoi as she exclaimed over the jeans that tried to eat my legs. I, of course, left out the reason behind the change.

As my story came to an end, I looked around the table and took notice that Inuyasha's dad and older brother were absent. I questioned Izayoi about the missing men, and learned that they were currently on a business trip in America and weren't due back for another week.

Ah… America.

I'd always wanted to go there. I found myself drawn to the foreign country through the elaborate descriptions of the land and people in my text books. I'd even read that they had demons over there too. And don't even get me started on all the fast food restaurants.

I was drawn out of my daydream by an annoyed grunt.

"Well, come on."

I stared up at Inuyasha, wondering what in the world he was talking about.

"Kagome? Didn't you hear me? I asked if you and Inuyasha could take care of the dishes."

_Huh? What! No, no, no, Mother! Don't you know that's too dangerous? We'll be alone for too long! _

Yet despite my internal warning, I stood up calmly and finished picking up all the dirtied dishes from the table. "Sure."

_Thanks a lot, Mom…_

When I entered our small kitchen I noticed that Inuyasha was already washing dishes, his arms buried up to the elbow in soap suds. I approached him carefully with my load of breakable dishes, minding all the spots on the linoleum floor that had splatters of water on them. After gently putting the plates in the soapy water, I grabbed a nearby rag and started drying.

_So far so good. I won't speak until he does._

Yet the lack of words was only causing the pressure to rise between us, and soon I was biting the side of my cheek to keep myself from speaking.

I quit drying and started putting the dishes away, thankful to be away from Inuyasha's side. His quietness was starting to worry me. I continued to drift around the room in silence, placing plates, cups, and bowls in their proper places. But after 10 more minutes, I felt like screaming.

I turned away from the cabinet and started towards him with a determined stride. "Look, Inuyasha, I'd rather we scream and fight inste— Ah!"

He turned around quickly at the sound of my yell, and I slid into his chest knocking us both off balance. We fell in a heap, soap suds flying everywhere from Inuyasha's flailing hands.

"Dammit, Kagome, can't you even walk right?"

I sat up slowly, groaning from an unfamiliar pain in my back. "Well, if you were more careful when you were washing dishes, then maybe I wouldn't have slipped in that puddle."

Inuyasha glared at me from his position on the floor, soap suds running down his face and sprinkled throughout his hair.

I stared at him for a moment. "Mmph" I couldn't help it. I started laughing furiously at the sight of him.

"Ha! Your…heh, your face!"

He scowled at me as I continued to laugh hysterically. Seconds later a familiar smirk settled on his features and I immediately grew wary. He slowly raised his claws in front of me. I stopped laughing long enough to stare at his fingers, and then he suddenly flicked them, sending suds flying all over my face and into my mouth.

I felt my features screw up as the awful taste of soap registered. "Ewwww…"

Inuyasha snickered as I desperately tried to wipe the soap off my tongue.

Fine. Two could play that game.

I wiped my hand across the floor, gathering what soap I could before flicking it at him.

I knew I'd hit my mark when he started smacking his mouth, the strange flavor of soap attacking his super-sensitive taste buds.

"What the hell, Kagome!"

We were both sitting on the floor wiping at our tongues when my mother and Izayoi rushed in.

"What happened? We heard a yell and bang so—"

They paused, looking back and forth between us, then at each other.

My mother shrugged. "You know. I'd rather not ask."

Izayoi smiled and raised an eyebrow at our frenzied actions.

"That might be best."

* * *

"_So what happened?"_

I sighed and leaned back into my chair, not sure how to explain what had happened earlier that night.

"Well…we aren't exactly mad at each other anymore, but we definitely haven't made up yet."

"_Did any of the parents suspect anything?"_

"Honestly, I don't see how they didn't. But nobody mentioned anything sooo..."

"_Well, tell me what happened after dinner. Did you guys talk or something?"_

"Not exactly. We just had a soap fight."

"_A soap fight?"_

"Heh, yeah. It started as an accident and went from there. It broke the tension between us, so I'm thankful I slipped into him when I did. I thought the silence was going to kill me."

I heard a loud yawn through the phone.

"_Y__ou'll have to tell me all the details tomorrow, ok? I still have a buttload of homework to do."_

"Yeah, same here," I sighed. "I'll see ya tomorrow then."

"_M'kay. Bye."_

I clicked my cell phone shut and rubbed my eyes, trying to ward the drowsiness off for just a little while longer.

I needed to finish my stupid current event and then I would finally be able to surrender to sleep.

But I found I couldn't concentrate. My thoughts kept drifting back to a certain hanyou and wondering what I was going to say to him tomorrow. I didn't know if I should snuff him or greet him like usual.

Ugh.

I hated this.

I wanted things the way they were before Kikyo had arrived. Inuyasha and I had always found time to do something together, and we had never been forced to avoid each other like this. Was he hating this as much as I was?

I shook my head and focused on my homework. It was getting late.

* * *

Before I drifted off to sleep later that night, I decided that I was going to make an effort tomorrow and try to repair our broken friendship.

That is, if Inuyasha would let me.

-End—

* * *

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-_RedThread_


	4. Fun With Leaf Piles

Hello, dear readers. I'd like to thank you if you've left a review thus far. It really inspires me to keep writing when I get positive feedback, so keep 'em coming. :)

Anyways, on with the story.

Enjoy :D

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Inuyasha…need I say more.

* * *

Chapter 4: Fun With Leaf Piles

-Start-

I flinched as a raindrop fell onto my cheek.

Terrific.

So much for a good hair day. It had taken me forever to straighten it too.

I sped up, knowing that if I didn't reach shelter in 10 minutes I would be soaked to the bone.

"Hey! Kagome!"

I turned at the sound of my name and saw Koga running towards me at a faster-than-human pace.

He drew up next to me and slowed down to match my smaller strides.

"You better hurry if you don't want to be dripping by the time you get to school."

"I know, I know!" I ground out, my hurried walk morphing into a full out run. It was too late to save my hair; so what if it was a little windblown?

"Heh. You're so slow!" Koga maneuvered himself in front of me so that he was running backwards, his pace every bit as fast as mine.

I stuck my tongue out at him, wondering how he could see where he was going, and then squealed as the rain started coming down in torrents. I lifted my bag above my head in a pathetic attempt to stay dry.

Koga slowed down in front of me so that I practically ran into his arms. He chuckled as he scooped me up, bridal style.

I was too surprised to say anything, and I kept quiet as Koga turned around so that he was running forwards again toward the school.

We made it there in record time, the rain just starting to really pour as we got under cover. Koga placed me back on the ground and I clutched my school bag to my chest, a little embarrassed that he had carried me like that.

"Whew. You're heavier than you look."

I blushed. "Well, it's not like I asked you to carry me!"

"I'll know better next time."

I swung my bag at his arm and he neatly sidestepped the blow.

Stupid wolf demon and his quick reflexes.

But still. "Thank you. That's twice you've helped me."

"Nah…Don't mention it. It felt good to get that last run in before I have to put this stupid thing on."

I watched as he slipped a small ring over his index finger, his appearance immediately beginning to alter. His pointed ears melted into neatly rounded ones while his fangs and claws shortened into blunt human features; his exotic eyes darkened into a more common shade of blue, and his tail disappeared completely.

"What does it feel like to change forms like that?" I asked him. I'd asked Inuyasha before, but his explanation of 'weird' didn't quite satisfy me.

"Hmm… It's kinda like this odd trembling goes through your body and all your senses go dull. It doesn't hurt, but it's not the most pleasant of experiences."

I stared at him as he swept his dark bangs back and pulled a headband on to keep them out of his eyes.

He grinned wolfishly, his teeth a flash of white in his tanned face. "What?" he questioned.

I looked away quickly. I'd never really studied him too closely, but Koga was a _very_ attractive guy. And nicely toned too.

"Oh, nothing," I muttered.

"Well, I'll catch you later Kagome. Those two idiots need someone to boss them around," I waved good-bye as he made his way over to Ginta and Hakkaku, leaving me behind.

Smiling at the three, I turned and walked through the doors that led to the cafeteria, hoping to find Sango so we could talk before class began.

* * *

She found me first and pushed her way through idle students to get to me.

"Excuse me."

"Yes, I need to get through."

"Sorry."

"Ok, just move."

She finally huffed over to me, having successfully passed through the sea of people between us.

"Stupid freshmen and sophomores. They need to learn to respect their elders."

I laughed at her complaining. We were barely half a year older than they were, and most of them were _way _bigger than both of us put together.

"So anyways," she continued as we walked towards our lockers, "we never got through all of the details last night on the phone. A soap fight? Really? You guys are, what, 17 now?"

I smothered my laughter and told her the in depth version of last night, not skipping anything. It didn't take long.

"Well, it didn't turn out to be as bad as you thought, huh? That's good at least. So are you and he talking again?"

"I don't know. But I've decided that if this Kikyo girl is competition, I need to be getting closer to Inuyasha, not pushing him away."

"Hmm…I don't know. Sometimes reverse psychology is the best way to go. Push him away, yet at the same time make him realize how much he misses you."

The warning bell rang and we slammed our lockers shut.

"I'll see you at lunch, kay?"

I nodded. "Bye, Sango."

We turned away from each other and rushed in opposite directions, trying to make it to class before we were considered tardy.

* * *

I hurried into the classroom, making an impressive entrance with my mussed hair and heavy breathing. I'm pretty sure my cheeks were flushed an unnatural pink color.

Mr. Mitsu paused from calling roll and stared at me along with most of the class.

I ground my teeth at the stupid freshmen that had caused me to be late by walking as slow as they possibly could down the hall.

"Higurashi… Sit."

I bowed my head. "Yes, sir. Um, sorry I'm late."

"Sit."

Geez. Ok, ok, I was going already.

"You too, Ookami."

I turned and saw Koga standing behind me, a bored expression on his face.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." He grinned as he walked past me, hands shoved into his pockets. I followed him and we both took our seats.

"Nice," somebody whispered near me.

Nice? What was that supposed to mean? Was it nice that I'd done something bad, like come in late (which was something I would never normally do)?

And then it hit me.

It must have looked suspicious with Koga and I coming in at the same time, my cheeks pink, breathing ragged. Everyone probably thought we had come in late because we'd been together.

I threw my head into my hands, feeling my cheeks flare a bright red again. Oh no! What if Inuyasha thought that we had- …I couldn't even finish the thought.

I turned my head to glance behind and see what he was doing.

_What the?_ Why was he smiling at me like that? I watched in disbelief as he gave me a thumbs up.

_What the **hell** is that supposed to mean?_

Mr. Mitsu finished calling roll, and then wandered out of the classroom to do something, giving me a moment to run back to Inuyasha's desk.

"It's about time, Kagome. I didn't know you and Koga were like _that. _No wonder you were with him yesterday. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I didn't know we were talking again. And because Koga and I are _not_ like that in the first place," I said tightly.

"Evidence says otherwise."

"Inuyasha…," I ground out dangerously.

I looked over at Kikyo who was staring at me curiously, a smirk curling the end of her mouth, like she knew something I didn't.

What a creepy girl.

"Oh, come on, Kagome. You should be in a better mood now that you finally got some action. Which janitor's closet was it?"

"Why you!" I slammed my fist down on his head, causing him to yelp in pain.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"Think hard and maybe your stupid brain will give you an answer."

I turned away from Inuyasha and stalked back to my desk, pissed that he thought Koga and I were like that, yet pleased that we were on speaking terms again.

About that time Mr. Mitsu walked back in and ordered us to get with our partners from yesterday to start on the second part of our project.

Koga scooted his desk over so that it was pushed against mine.

"So," he started, "why were _you_ late?"

"Apparently you and I were in a janitor's closet."

"Oh really? I heard we were in the bathroom."

I looked into his blue eyes, which were alight with a dark humor, and couldn't help the small laugh that bubbled out of my throat. I suddenly found the whole situation absurdly hilarious.

I mean me and Koga? We barely knew each other!

Koga smiled at me and we both busted out laughing. We finally stopped when our sides were aching and when Mr. Mitsu walked by us mumbling about obnoxious laughing (which only caused us to start up again).

After a while though, we both got serious and finished up the second part of our project just in time for lunch.

Before the class was released Mr. Mitsu stood and made an announcement about an upcoming fieldtrip.

"We will be going to see the ancient artifacts and remains of the Feudal Era's most important people, which will also include a short film. Admission price is $25 dollars. I need your money before Thursday at the latest, and don't forget to also bring back this release form signed by a parental unit."

He stood at the door and handed each student a paper as they walked by.

I finally made it through the crowd and was, surprisingly, graced with Inuyasha's presence on the walk to lunch.

"So are you going to go on the trip?" he asked.

"Yup, just to get out of school. How 'bout you?"

"I guess I'll go. Sounds boring though."

"Oh, come on, I bet you have some ancestor on display up there or something. Wasn't your family a prominent one back in the Feudal Era?"

"Only certain branches of it. Mine in particular, no."

"Are you sure? I thought I read that—"

"Kagome, you're such a bookworm…," he interrupted, "I think I would know if my _own_ family had their corpses on display."

"Wanna bet?" I teased.

He furrowed his brow. "Fine. What are we wagering?"

"How about, if I win you have to buy me something from the gift shop, and if you win then I'll buy you something."

"What! No way! All that damn gift shop stuff is way over-priced!"

"Oh, come on Inuyasha, you're complaining like you know I've already won the bet or something."

His eyes sparked at the challenge and he growled. "As if. It's a deal."

He held his hand out and I took it, ignoring the shock of warmth that shot up my arm.

We shook on it.

* * *

It was the end of the day, and I stood adjacent to my locker, tapping my foot impatiently. Inuyasha was lingering around Kikyo watching as she put away her folders, and trying to get a few last words in with her. She still wouldn't let him walk her home.

I finally gave up on waiting and decided to go to the bathroom and relieve my complaining bladder instead; maybe by the time I finished he would be ready to part with his beloved Kikyo.

As I was finishing up, Kikyo herself walked in. I watched her reflection in the mirror as she approached. She stood next to me and turned on the sink, sticking her hands under the warm water in silence. We stood there for a few moments, just washing our hands.

I nearly jumped when she spoke.

"Guess what I found out today?"

I turned my head to look at her, my hands still scrubbing in the water. "Um…What?"

She smiled that all-knowing smile that I had seen earlier. "You're in love with Inuyasha, aren't you?"

My hands quit moving under the water and I just stood there, staring at her, looking like a dummy. How had she found out? Who could've possibly told her?

"In case you're wondering, nobody told me. Nobody needed to. It's in your eyes when you look at him."

I looked away. "I don't know what you're talking about. Inuyasha's my best friend, and that's it."

"Oh, please."

She slowly turned off her water, and I quickly followed suit. The only sound in the quiet bathroom was the low drip of the faucets.

Kikyo turned away from me and leisurely drew a couple of paper towels from the dispenser, while I stood behind her and let my hands dribble into the sink.

"I just want you to know," she continued, breaking the smothering silence, "that I'm going to take him away from you."

My jaw dropped. I stood there with my mouth open, speechless. _No way did she just say that. I must be hearing her wrong._

"See you around, Kagome," she said. Kikyo left the bathroom without even looking back.

* * *

I finally stumbled out of the restroom a couple of minutes later, still stunned from what had just transpired. _That must have been the whole reason she even went in there. She just wanted to see me squirm. Why? What have I ever done to her?_

"Yo, Kagome! Hurry up! I've been waiting out here forever!"

"Shut up, Inuyasha," I snapped. I'd been waiting on him _way_ longer than he had been waiting for me. Nonetheless, I still made my way over to him, and we started on our way home. I stared at the ground and walked slowly, deep in thought.

After the school passed out of sight Inuyasha slid his concealing ring off his index finger, and I momentarily forgot my little problem as I watched his transformation. Long black hair bled streaks of white, the lighter color eventually becoming dominant; small dog ears popped up on top of his skull as his human ears melted away. His claws grew, lengthened and his violet eyes lightened to a smoldering golden.

His nose twitched and I smiled up at him. "Have your senses returned to normal?"

He looked down at my question. "Huh? Yeah. How did you know that my senses change?"

"Koga told me."

Inuyasha sniffed at me. "Oh, yeah, I forgot you were with him all morning. In the janitor's closet."

"Inuyasha! Don't you dare start up with that again! What if my mother hears about it?"

He stepped ahead of me, calling out. "Oh, Ms. Higurashi!"

I ran up behind him and threw my arms around his waist, trying to keep him from going any further toward my house.

He laughed and easily pulled me off of him. I was promptly tossed into a nearby leaf leaves were wet and soggy from this morning's shower and clung to my hair and face. I gave him a petulant frown, still surrounded by my nest of leaves.

Inuyasha blinked at me for a second and then started laughing.

"Oh, shutup and help me out of here," I ordered. He lifted me out, and I grinned at him wickedly before peeling a leaf off of my face and sticking it into his hair.

"Kagome," he growled in warning.

"You threw me into a pile of soggy leaves!" I said increduously.

"Don't make me do it again."

"You wouldn't dare."

Turns out he would. He grabbed my waist and swung me around so that I was falling back into the leaves. I held onto to him, determined not to go down alone. If I had to face wet leaves, then so did he.

"Gah!"

"Ah ha!"

We grappled for few seconds, leaves flying, as we each tried to gain the upper hand.

Eventually, demonic strength won out, and Inuyasha perched on top of me, pinning my hands over my head. I squirmed, trying to get away, but he placed his whole body on mine, effectively pinning me down.

I paused, my chest heaving from my rapid breathing. He smirked down at me, and I felt my heart speed up to an even faster pace. At this rate it would be out of my chest and 50 miles away before I even realized it was gone.

"Now isn't this much more fun than arguing?"

I clenched my teeth. "N- not really. Now get off of me, my back is getting wet."

"What if I don't want to?"

"What do you mean? Are you just going to lie on top of me all night? Is that your ingenious plan?"

"Kagome, you shouldn't insult someone when they're in the act of tormenting you."

I stuck my tongue out at him before beginning to struggle again, strength renewed. He just added a little more pressure to my arms, and let me twist all I wanted.

"Erm…I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

We both froze at the sound of the voice.

Inuyasha snapped his head around, his hair falling around me in a silver curtain, completely blocking my vision.

"Koga? What are you doing here?"

"This is my house. And that's my pile of leaves you and Kagome are currently, um…rolling…in."

I blew Inuyasha's hair out of my face and smiled over his shoulder at Koga. "Hey, Koga. Sorry about messing up your pile of leaves. It's Inuyasha's fault."

"Is not!"

"It's fine, Kagome. It'll only take a few minutes to get it raked up, so no harm done."

Inuyasha stood, pulling me with him. "Actually, we were just leaving."

I pulled my hand out of his so I could brush off some wet, clingy foliage that refused let go of my hair and clothing. Koga walked over and helped.

"I really am sorry," I said, turning to face him. "I'll make it up to you somehow. Promise."

"Sounds good to me," Koga said, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

I swung out at him, and this time managed to hit my mark. "Not like _that, _you pervert."

"Kidding! I'm just kidding! Man, you punch hard," he complained as he rubbed his arm.

"Lots of practice," I said, pointing over my shoulder at Inuyasha.

"Keh…Just hurry up, Kagome. You can flirt with Koga later."

I turned and glared at Inuyasha. I _wasn't _flirting with Koga.

I looked back at the amused wolf demon and then down at my feet, feeling awkward. "Um, just ignore him. I'll, um… I'll see you tomorrow."

Koga laughed as I turned and stumbled towards Inuyasha. "Okay. See ya, Kagome."

I started to wave, but Inuyasha grabbed my upraised hand and practically dragged me down the street.

"Slow down, would you? What's your problem?"

"Nothing," Inuyasha growled under his breath.

That was a definite sign that there was indeed a problem.

"Inuyasha. Do you have a problem with Koga?"

"No."

"Ok. Because this morning you seemed positively thrilled that he and I were '_together'. _But now it's like you've changed your mind or something."

"I just don't trust him, Kagome. Wolf demons are sly, like their fox cousins."

"Aren't wolf and fox demons your cousins too?"

"That's not the point. Stop changing the subject."

"I'm not! But…I don't think Koga's like that. He and his 'pack' seem pretty normal to me. They're actually pretty funny once you get to know them."

"I don't care, Kagome. Just stay away from them, okay?"

"Kinda hard seeing as Koga's my project partner," I mumbled behind his back.

"Kagome," he growled.

"Fine, fine! But you have to give me a promise in return."

Inuyasha stopped walking and turned around to face me. "Ok, what is it?"

I looked up into his golden eyes, and then down to the ground as I shuffled my feet back and forth. "Um… promise me we'll always be close."

I looked back up at him, and our eyes locked for a moment.

"What kind of promise is that?" he finally asked in soft voice. "Of course we'll always be close. You're, like, my best girl friend, and that will never change, Kagome."

I felt my spirits lift at the word 'girlfriend'. But they came crashing back down pretty quickly when my mind unraveled the fact that 'girl' and 'friend' were meant as two separate words. I was just a friend. Nothing more.

"Besides nobody's as clumsy, stupid, or annoying as you. You'd be pretty hard to replace."

My hands clenched. "And just what do you mean by that?"

"Nothing. Just that you're pretty much irreplaceable due to those three traits." Inuyasha moved away from me, eyeing my clenched fists cautiously.

"Yeah, you better jump away."

"Keh! I'll see you later, Kagome!"

I glanced down at the stairs next to my feet, just realizing that we had arrived at my house. "Bye, Inuyasha!" I waved as he disappeared down the road. "I'll see you tomorrow," I said quietly as I lowered my hand.

Geez. I loved that idiot so much it hurt.

I turned and slowly drug my feet up the stairs, taking my time and pacing myself. I hoped against hope that Inuyasha would stay true to that promise he just made. With Kikyo after him I knew it was only a matter of time before they would be an official couple. And where did that put me?

I'll tell you where it put me.

It put me at Sango's house eating as much chocolate as I could, praying it wouldn't last long between the two.

-End-

* * *

And there you have it…Chapter 4.

So now Kikyo has officially declared war against Kagome, and Kagome is at a loss of what to do…

Next chapter will include the field trip and all the mayhem that goes down at the museum.

Read and Review please! I mean if you don't want to I'm cool with that, but I really love it when people respond to my stories.

:D

See Ya!

-_RedThread_


	5. Field Trip Part 1

Hello!

Here we go with Chapter 5. Hope you enjoy it :) …of course if you do you could always leave me a review or something.

Disclaimer: Idon'townInuyasha… there…I said it.

* * *

Chapter 5: Field Trip Part 1

-Start—

"Thanks Mama!" I yelled. I sprinted out of the doorway and down the long flight of stairs that led to the street. Whose bright idea had it been to make shrines at the top of a gazillion stairs anyway?

Today I was leaving the house extra early. I needed to talk to Mr. Mitsu about the field trip.

It was Friday, the day of the trip, and I had failed to turn in my release form and money on time. So here I was running to school with my form and money clutched to my chest, praying Mr. Mitsu would make an exception this one time and allow me to go.

If I'd had time to go slower I would have enjoyed the warm sunshine that was trickling down through the multicolored leaves. Fall happen to be my favorite season. I loved the way the air seemed crisp and fresh, the sky almost appearing golden at sunset. The same golden color as a certain pair of eyes, in fact.

I laughed lightly, and turned in a little circle out of sheer happiness. So far this week, Kikyo hadn't made any advances, and Inuyasha seemed to be spending less and less time with her. I couldn't help but wonder if it was because of the promise he had made earlier in the week.

I slowed down as the school came in sight, thinking about the promise _I_ had made to _him. _I had promised not to hang out with Koga and his friends, but that was proving to be especially difficult. Koga and Co. were very friendly, so it was kind of hard to snuff them for no reason. Especially since Inuyasha and I had practically destroyed Koga's leaf pile.

I still felt a little guilty about that.

I shook my head and focused on the task ahead, tugging on a door and letting myself into the school. It was strange being this early. There was an eerie silence in the lunchroom and down all the hallways that made my skin crawl.

I hurried on and poked my head through doorway of my homeroom, hoping Mr. Mitsu was there.

I was in luck.

"Can I help you, Miss Higurashi?"

"Uh, yes. At least, I hope so. I have my money and release form for the field trip, sir. I know it's late but, can you please let me go?"

Mr. Mitsu peered over his glasses at me, a stern look on his face. "Now why do you think I would make an exception just for you?"

"I don't… know…sir." I sighed dejectedly. "I guess that's a no then. Sorry to bother you."

"Now, first of all, stop putting words in my mouth. And secondly, I'll let you go. But only because you're the last person to sign up for this trip; every single student turned in a permission slip except for you. I was struggling to find a substitute just before you came in, but I think it would be much easier if I just allowed you to join the rest of us. Don't you agree?"

I smiled happily and handed my paper and money to him. "Yes, sir. Completely. "

"Good, now get out of here. You're too early. And, by the way, this never happened. The last thing I need is all my students expecting me to make an exception for this or that. Got it, Higurashi? We never had this meeting."

"What meeting, sir?"

He cracked a smile. "Exactly."

* * *

"Now, are both Higurashi and Ookami here today?"

A few snickers spread.

"Yes, Mr. Mitsu, we're both here," Koga answered in an exasperated voice.

It had been at least 2 days since we had come in together, but that didn't stop anybody from making a pun about at some point in the day. I rolled my eyes at the stupid immature boys that sat in front of me.

"Ok then, that makes everybody. Let's head to the buses in an orderly fashion."

The whole class was up and moving as soon as Mr. Mitsu mentioned the buses.

I followed the flow of students out the door, waving over at Sango as our classes joined in the hallway. Her class was also going on the trip.

Inuyasha and Miroku joined us seconds later.

"Sango! Long time, no see!"

"Miroku. I just saw you this morning."

"Yes, but it's been more than 20 minutes since last I've seen your beautiful face, and that's far too long." He placed a hand over his heart in a dramatic gesture. Talk about overkill.

Sango eyed the hand guardedly. "Keep your hand where I can see it, and nobody gets hurt. Got it, Miroku?"

He pouted, but the two walked off, still talking. Inuyasha and I shrugged at each other before following.

"So," he started, "you ready to lose that bet?"

"Pshh, you wish. I hope you brought at least $100 with you."

"Why? It's not like I'm going to need it."

"Alright. Keep telling yourself that."

Inuyasha and I made our way over to a bus, following Sango and Miroku. I nearly groaned when I saw the person in line behind them.

"Kikyo!" Inuyasha yelled. I imagined his ears would be perked and tail wagging, if he had one. "Need a bus partner?"

Of course. Abandoned again. Thanks _a lot,_ Kikyo.

But she acted as though she didn't hear Inuyasha's question and continued to get on the bus without answering.

I was greeted with noise and chaos as I stepped onto the bus, my eyes automatically scanning the aisle for open seats. Sango and Miroku were gesturing wildly about midway down the left row. Kikyo was seated in the row parallel to Sango and Miroku, one seat back, all by herself.

"Kagome! Come sit with us!"

I looked to the back of the bus, past Sango and Miroku, and spotted Koga. I smiled gratefully and started making my way toward him, but paused when I realized that I couldn't move. I glanced behind and saw that Inuyasha had grabbed a fistful of my shirt.

"I thought you were going to sit with me, Kagome."

"But you asked Kik—,"I was cut off as Inuyasha tugged me back a few steps and then pushed me into the seat behind Sango and Miroku. We were now directly across from Kikyo. He sat down next to me and crossed his arms over his chest moodily.

"I thought you wanted to sit with Kikyo," I whispered angrily.

"No, because then you'll go back there and sit with that stupid wolf."

"So what?"

"You promised to stay away from him, remember?"

"If you're going to talk to Kikyo, then I get to talk to Koga. That's only fair Inuyasha."

"Hey, Kagome. Are you guys talking about me?"

I jumped at the sound of the voice next to my ear. Koga had moved up to the seat that was right behind us. Inuyasha closed his eyes and growled in annoyance before turning away from me and toward Kikyo.

Fine.

I faced Koga, sitting sideways in my seat with my back against the window. "So, what's up?" I asked. "I feel like I haven't talked to you in ages."

He stared at me. "Yeah. You wouldn't happen to be avoiding me, would you?"

I glanced away from him guiltily and then back. "Of course not. Why would I be avoiding you?"

He narrowed his eyes. "I don't know. I just feel like you're trying to stay away from me." His voice lowered. "That mutt wouldn't have anything to do with it, would he?"

I stiffened at the insult to Inuyasha, glad for once that he was wrapped up in conversation with Kikyo and not listening to us.

"No, Koga. Inuyasha has nothing to do with anything," I lied.

I switched the topic over to safe ground and we carried on an easy conversation the rest of the way, with a few hilarious contributions from Hakkaku and Ginta.

When we finally arrived at the museum, I couldn't help but sigh in relief. Buses made me a bit carsick, and I was beginning to feel the familiar queasiness build up in my stomach. All the laughing I'd been doing probably didn't help matters.

As soon as we exited the bus we were shepherded into an empty room with a museum tour guide. She quickly gave us the low down on the museum rules and the consequences should any of these rules be violated.

"Most of these artifacts are centuries old. They are kept in dark, temperature controlled rooms for a reason. Please do not touch or take any pictures of these ancient remains. Security will be forced to escort your entire group out if you fail to abide by these rules."

The tour guide lady finished her speech with a stern look, and then the teachers began dividing us into groups. I smiled at Sango and we quickly moved next to each other, landing us in the same group. I noted that Miroku, Inuyasha, and Kikyo were also in our group. Koga and his buddies had been divided into another, and I waved as they disappeared through the door that led to the display room.

Koga's group got about a 5 minute head start before our group was allowed to follow. As we made our way into the first dark room, a hushed silence fell over our group. My eyes slowly adjusted to the dim lighting, and I began toward the first exhibit, which was a statue under a spotlight. I quickly read the little caption, studied it for a few seconds, and then moved on to the next illuminated piece of art.

"Keh, this old stuff is boring. Where are the bodies and _real_ remains?" The complaint was emitted from a gruff voice somewhere behind me. I spotted a sign that pointed to the next room, and quickly turned to find Inuyasha, the disgruntled complainer.

"Come on," I whispered, grabbing his hand, "this way." I guided he and the rest of our group into the next room.

A collected gasp spread through the room as we stared at the cases lining the walls. Demons from the Feudal Era. Their bodies were perfectly intact, enclosed in glass tombs, no doubt carefully protected. Every one of them stood with their eyes closed, hands casually by their sides, almost as though they were just sleeping.

I was instantly fascinated.

Still holding on to Inuyasha's hand, I dragged him over to the nearest display where a beautiful demoness stood quietly, feathers clipped into her dark hair.

"She was known as Kagura of the Wind," I whispered reverently. My eyes continued back and forth, scanning the information plate. "Cause of death: Naraku."

I suddenly gasped, realizing that I'd read about her before. "Oh my gosh, Inuyasha! This is one of Naraku's actual 'detachments'," I whispered excitedly. "You know, like we were reading about in class the other day? And this must be Kanna!" I drug the silent hanyou to the next case, staring at the small girl's body through the cold glass.

My excitement dimmed suddenly and a wave of sadness passed through me. "You know," I said lowly, "I read that these two actually tried to turn against Naraku in the end. I'm willing to bet they wanted to be free of him and live normal lives." I stared at the little girl mournfully. "Well, as normal as a demon could live back then."

"Idiots. That's probably what got them killed. You have to be pretty stupid to go against the guy that holds your heart."

I didn't blame them though. Naraku had been evil. He probably would have killed them regardless.

Mr. Mitsu had gone into great detail about the way the evil hanyou, Naraku, had created detachments such as Kagura and Kanna. They functioned as real people, or demons. But because Naraku had created them, he literally held their hearts. And also the power to kill them at any given second.

I turned and directed a mocking smile in Inuyasha's direction. "So, you do actually listen in class, huh?"

He turned away. "Feh. Not much else to do."

I shook my head and silently moved to another case.

"Hey, Kagome. Check these guys out," Inuyasha whispered from across the room. I quickly abandoned my case and dodged around people, trying to make a path toward him.

I didn't even need to read the caption for this one. "The Band of Seven," I said quietly as I reached Inuyasha. Seven mercenaries revived from the dead by Naraku. The Band of Seven had been manipulated by the half demon until they were all killed…_again_.

A low voice broke the hushed silence. "You don't think this museum has the body of _Naraku, _do you?"

I looked away from the handsome leader of The Band of Seven and stared at Kikyo.

"Probably not," Inuyasha answered, "he was destroyed pretty thoroughly."

"Who destroyed him?" she questioned.

"It's a mystery," I said as I brushed past her. "Nobody seems to be able to find any clues as to who killed him in the end. It's almost like that part of history was intentionally erased." I walked into the next room, listening to the quiet patter of footsteps that told me Inuyasha and Kikyo were following. "Scholars have been baffled by the huge gaps in old records. Nobody can figure why the story of Naraku's defeat has faded from history."

I stopped walking, deep in thought.

"It was most likely a whole bunch of demons working together that finally finished Naraku off," I concluded.

"Hey, you guys! Come here and look at this!"

I jumped as a hand clamped onto my arm, only relaxing when I realized that it was Sango. Being around all these dead bodies was making me nervous.

"Psst…Inuyasha. You especially have to see this. Come on!"

Sango pulled me to the far corner of the room, where a lone glass case and Miroku were standing. Inuyasha and Kikyo walking along behind us.

"Look! Check it out. Doesn't he look familiar?"

My eyes widened. "Inuyasha?" I whispered, nearly inaudibly. My hand came to my mouth in shock. The body of the young demon perched inside the glass display with closed eyes and no expression was a dead ringer for my best friend. The resemblance between he and Inuyasha was staggering.

"No way," Inuyasha breathed as he stared up into the face of the dead hanyou. I watched his eyes move downward, fixing on the arrow that was lodged in the half-demon's chest.

I glanced at the caption below the case. "It says he's unnamed." I kept reading, this time out loud. "Turns out he was found trapped to a tree by this sacred arrow. All efforts have been made to remove the arrow from his chest, but the magical object refuses to budge. It is believed that he can only be revived if the person who sealed him was to pull the arrow out of his body. Scholars estimate his time of entrapment to have occurred soon after the death of Naraku." I looked up. "So he's been sealed since the Feudal Era. I'd guess about 600 years or so."

"Wow," Kikyo said softly, staring intensely at the arrow. "He'll probably remain this way forever. There's no way the person who sealed him is still alive if they were human."

I planted my hands on my hips and turned to face Inuyasha. A smirk was spreading across my face. I was going to enjoy this. "If you ask me, he could very well be your great grandpapa, Inuyasha."

"Keh. You can't prove we're related, Kagome."

"Oh, come on, Inuyasha. How could you _not_ be related? Just admit to your defeat gracefully and be ready to buy me something."

"No way! Just because the guy looks like me doesn't mean we're related!"

A sharp _Sshhhh!_ shot from one of the dark corners, and we quieted.

"How can you be so sure?" I whispered.

Inuyasha frowned, stumped. If he'd had dog ears at the moment, they'd be flicking in irritation.

"Exactly," I continued smugly, "you can't be. So therefore I win, and you lose." I smiled and crossed my arms across my chest, feeling quite victorious at the moment.

"Whatever," he finally growled.

My grin of satisfaction slid off my face as Inuyasha was towed away by Kikyo. So much for that…I can't win for losing.

I glanced around and noticed that Sango and Miroku had also moved off.

Sigh. Alone again. I was the last person in the room, just me and the still remains of more than a dozen demons.

I turned and continued to stare at the silent form of the half demon in front of me. He actually looked kind of peaceful, as though he was waiting for something…or maybe someone. I studied the small triangular ears that sat atop his head and the long claws that tipped the end of his fingers. His lengthy silver hair was carefully brushed so that it fell in a silky stream down his back.

There didn't seem to be anything too special about the red clothing he wore, but the small ring of beads encircling his neck drew my eyes. I might have been imagining it, but I could swear I felt a strange sort of tug from the beads. It was as though an invisible force was brushing against my mind.

I shook my head forcefully, feeling foolish. _Who am I kidding?_

I shivered feeling a little freaked by the silence and turned my eyes away from the silent form of the hanyou. I had to get out of here.

I entered the shadowy passage leading to the next room, traversing it by myself. Or so I thought.

My heart leapt into my throat as something hard and unmoving wrapped around my waist. My rising scream was smothered by a hand covering my mouth.

This was bad.

I was trapped, and nobody was around to save me.

-End—

* * *

Woo… a cliffie… :D

You'll have to stick around to find out what happens!

Next chapter should be out within the week.

Don't forget to review!

Thanx!

-_RedThread_


	6. Field Trip Part 2

Hello!...I'm sure you've waited long enough for this chapter…so without further ado here is Chapter 6.

Enjoy!

Read & Review please!

Disclaimer (Yoda style): Owned by me, Inuyasha is not.

* * *

Chapter 6: Field Trip Part 2

-Start—

I struggled against the iron grip that was wrapped around my middle, trying to break free. I watched in fear as the faint light from the display rooms disappeared, my captor dragging me further into the dark recesses of the empty hallway.

_What am I supposed to do_?

What if this was a psycho killer? Or a thief? Or a rapist? Or, worst of all, a creepy _old man_ rapist? Or what if—

At that point the man (because I was pretty darned sure it was _not_ a female) pushed open a door from somewhere in the wall, and I was blinded. It took me a second to realize that I was standing in the sunshine outside of the museum.

I felt the hold around me slacken and I whipped around to face my kidnapper, swinging my fist in an effort defend myself. My hand came to a jarring stop as the person caught it neatly with his own. I glared past my trapped hand into the dark blue eyes of…

"Koga? What the-," I struggled to form a coherent sentence. "What do you think you're doing? I thought I was being kidnapped! Kidnapped, you hear? I very nearly peed on myself! What if I'd had a heart attack and died?" I dropped my hand and paced, running my fingers through my hair in a frenzy. "I could have been abducted and killed and left in a ditch on the side of some lonely road in the middle of nowhere to rot." I paused and spun to face Koga. "Do you realize how freakin' glad I am to see you?"

Koga laughed at the sudden turn in my angry tirade, and I launched myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck, never happier to see the stupid wolf demon in my life.

"I am so ticked at you right now," I hissed in his ear as I clung to him. The thought of what might have happened if any of my earlier suspicions had been true caused sudden tears to spring in my eyes. Those previous few minutes in the dark had been the scariest of my life.

I drew back from Koga and punched him weakly in the chest, quickly wiping away unwanted tears. "Don't you dare even _think_ about doing that again!"

"I might have to, if it means I get a hug."

"Koga," I sniffled, "I'm serious! Why did you even do it in the first place?"

"Well how else was I supposed to get you out here?"

"Uh…You could've asked like a normal person instead of going creepy-old-man-rapist on me."

"Old man rapist? That's who you thought it was?"

"Does it matter? You could've been an ancient demon awakened from the dead for all I knew!"

Koga snorted and started walking away.

"And just where do you think you're going? You'll be in some serious trouble if you get caught by a teacher!" I warned.

"Then you'd better hurry up or we won't be back in time."

"We? What makes you think I'm going with you?"

Koga turned around, nonchalantly sticking his hands in his pockets as he stared at me. "If I remember correctly you said something about making up that leaf incident to me." He turned away and continued walking. "Well now's your chance, so hurry it up, Kagome."

Curse that stupid leaf pile. This was indirectly all Inuyasha's fault. If he hadn't thrown me in that pile of leaves to begin with, this whole situation might have been avoided.

Darnit.

I closed my eyes in defeat as I made my decision.

"Koga Ookami, if I get expelled from school for this, so help me God, I will hunt you down!"

I watched as he threw his head back and laughed. "Deal."

* * *

"_This_ is where you wanted to go?"

I stared down a dark, grungy staircase, eyebrows raised in disbelief.

"Yup. Hurry up. We're on a time limit."

Koga began to descend the stairs and I hesitantly followed, sniffing distastefully at the mildew that adorned the walls. It had taken about 10 minutes of fast walking to get here, and Koga had refused to reveal exactly what it was he was showing me. After 5 minutes of prodding, I'd given up on an explanation and just studied the streets we were travelling through.

Judging from the manicured trees and shrubs, we were in a pretty nice part of town.

That's why I was so surprised when we stopped at the dirty staircase. It was like it didn't belong with the rest of the neighborhood.

I squinted into the darkness, training my eyes on the little pinprick of light at the bottom of the stairs. The light disappeared for a second as Koga moved in front of it, and soon the distinct sound of a sliding metal door met my ears.

"Koga?"

His hand grabbed my arm and gently guided me down the last few steps and through the doorway. I looked around the long hallway we'd entered and stared at the rusty lights swaying above. Koga turned and shut the door behind us.

"Is this some sort of warehouse?"

"Used to be," he said noncommittally. "Come on, we're close." Koga grabbed my hand again and lead me further down the passage. After a few moments of quick walking, we encountered another door.

"You hear that?" he whispered, pausing.

I'd actually noticed the noise a little while ago. Although I wouldn't exactly call it noise…it sounded more like-

"Music? Is it music?"

Koga flashed his fangs in an appreciative smile, "Very good, Kagome."

He must have taken his Human Ring off when we'd come down the staircase.

Koga turned towards the door and released my hand to open it. The door swung wide, and a wave of music and voices assaulted my eardrums. A steady beat pulsed through my body.

"Stay close!" Koga yelled over the racket.

I kept my eyes on Koga's form just long enough to see if I was still behind him, and then my eyes darted around the large room. Demons and humans lounged everywhere, drinks in their hands. A large stage was positioned at the front of the room. We'd entered from the side. The band that was currently onstage finished their song, and the voices around me escalated into cheers and whistles.

You know, this place almost seemed like a …_bar_.

_Why the heck did Koga want to show me **this**?_

My gaze returned forward, to make sure Koga was still near, and I nearly had a panic attack when I couldn't find his familiar ebony ponytail swaying through the crowd.

A hand shot out from somewhere beside me and grasped my elbow tightly. "Kagome," Koga growled in my ear, "I meant it when I said stay close. Now pay attention this time."

My heartbeat slowed when I realized it was Koga that had grabbed me, and I nodded my head at his command, following him closely the rest of the way. The path Koga was on eventually lead to a kind of room made out of what I guessed to be sound proof glass. My suspicions were proved correct when Koga and I entered the small room and all of the loud rambunctious noise of the people and demons faded.

"Koga," I said calmly. "Why in the heck are we at some underground _bar_?"

"So…This is her, Koga?"

I looked away from Koga, who was currently nodding his head, to the owner of the quiet voice. I instinctively backed away from the man sitting in the large chair across the room. His long, dark hair hung in greasy waves around his shoulders; his eyes gazed at me shrewdly from a thin face.

And if his physical appearance wasn't enough to make me move away from him, then his smothering aura was plenty enough reason. Heck, I didn't even really know what a dang aura was, but this guy definitely had one.

It was safe to say I didn't like him.

I mentally cringed as his hooded eyes raked over my body, studying me carefully.

"Is she any good?"

I looked back to Koga, completely lost. The wolf demon was smiling at the man.

"She's great. And she'll look good up there too."

"Hmm," the man mumbled as he turned his chair to look at a flat screen computer behind him.

"Please, sir. Just give us one chance, that's all I'm asking."

"You've been asking for a good two months now, and to be frank, you're really starting to get on my nerves."

Koga didn't move, his features hardened in determination. I watched as the man turned back around in his chair to face us.

"Turns out I've got an opening the weekend before Halloween, and I'll let you have it if it'll shut you up."

Koga's eyes widened. "But that's…that's one of the most sought after weekends."

"I know," the man snapped, "and if you screw it up, you'll regret it. You know what will happen if you screw up, right Koga?"

Koga's eyes narrowed and his mouth hitched into a smirk. "I know…But it won't happen to us."

The man in front of us sneered, as if he already knew it would. "We'll see."

Koga began backing towards the doorway, grabbing my hand in the process, and dragging me along with him. "Thank you, sir. You won't be disappointed."

* * *

When we finally made it through the crowd, out both doors, and back up the stairs, Koga spoke.

"Holy shit! Can you believe it, Kagome? Can you believe it? That bastard finally gave in!"

I watched as the excited wolf demon practically jumped around the sidewalk.

"Actually, I'm completely lost. What do I have to do with anyth-!"

My question was abruptly cut off as Koga hoisted me up and spun me around in excited circles. He placed me back on the ground after a few turns and stared at me happily as I tried to steady myself.

"God, Kagome. I'm so happy, I could kiss you right now."

"Please refrain from doing so," I mumbled, hand on my head, trying to make my vision settle on one point. "An explanation of what's going on will suffice."

Koga glanced down at his watch. "I'll have to tell you on the bus. We need to get back."

"How much time do we have?"

"I'd say about 4 minutes"

I ran behind him, and clambered onto his back.

"What are you doing?"

"Go, Go, Go! It'll be faster if you run!"

Koga laughed and hitched my legs up so they were settled comfortably around his hips. I buried my face in his neck, avoiding the stares of the people on the streets as we rushed past.

* * *

Koga sat me down outside the door he'd abducted me from and then disappeared for a few seconds.

He reappeared and nodded at me to go ahead and enter.

"Had to make sure the alarm system was still turned off."

"Koga! You even deactivated their alarm system?"

"I had to," he whispered as we entered the dark hallway. "It would have been impossible to leave otherwise. Come on, this way."

Koga pulled me around a corner and I sighed with relief as the display rooms came into sight. We hurried into the room that held the Inu-hanyou, and I slowed down to stare again.

"Koga, did you see this guy?"

"Yeah. Weird, huh? He looks just like that dog-boy of yours." After a moment he nudged my elbow. "Let's go. We need to catch up with our groups. I think there's a short cut through here."

I turned away from the glass case and followed Koga through another dark hallway.

We reached the end of the hall and stood uncertainly in the center of a small, round room.

"Where is everybody?"

"My guess would be in there," Koga said, pointing a finger at a double door labeled 'Theater'. Oh yeah. We were supposed to see a movie that went along with the tour.

Seconds later, the doors flew open and a wave of students came flooding into the small room. Koga and I melted in with them as inconspicuously as possible and became separated.

"Kagome? Where the hell have you been?"

I looked up at Inuyasha, trying to keep a straight face. "What do you mean? I just watched the movie with everyone else."

"Why didn't you sit with us?"

I turned away, quickly thinking up an excuse. "Well, when we got separated in the display rooms, I ran into Koga. So then I ended up hanging out with him."

"But if he's in a different group how did—"

"So!" I interrupted brightly, "what was your favorite part of the movie?"

Inuyasha stared at me suspiciously.

"Ha," I laughed nervously. "Yeah, I thought the whole thing was pretty boring too. Well, we'd better hurry up before we get left behind."

I began walking away, Inuyasha and the others following behind. Phew…I think he believed me. For now, at least.

My face lit up as we entered the gift shop.

"Oh, Inuyasha!" I called. "I believe you owe me something?"

I fingered little key-chains and magnets and he grumbled and followed along behind. I paused when I came upon a small necklace display.

"What do you think of this one, Inuyasha?" I held up a tiny chain necklace with a small pink jewel dangling off the end.

"It's great," he said with an obvious lack of enthusiasm. "How much does it cost?"

I glanced at the small tag attached to the clasp. "$32," I answered with a brilliant smile.

"Are you serious? That little piece of crap is 32 bucks?"

I nodded my head happily. "Here you go," I passed it to him. "Hurry and buy it, okay?"

He stomped off towards the checkout line. I frowned as Kikyo intercepted him and toted him in a different direction.

Inuyasha returned minutes later and took his place at the end of the lengthy line. It slowly crept forward as another customer walked away with their souvenir.

I did a double take as Koga turned from the cash register and tucked a small package into his jacket pocket. What could he possibly have found here to waste his money on?

I continued browsing through the odds and ends in the store until Inuyasha finally walked up behind me and threw a little package in my direction.

"You'd better wear that for the next 3 months at least," he said gruffly.

"Here, help me put it on," I ordered.

I turned and moved my hair as Inuyasha fumbled with clasp behind me. He finally succeeded in buckling it a few minutes later, and I laughed as he muttered something about pointless clasping devices.

"What else did you buy?"

"Oh, Kikyo convinced me to buy this," he help up a replica of the bead necklace that the Inu-hanyou was wearing. He slung it around his neck.

"Now see?" He asked. "Why can't all necklaces be that easy to put on?"

"Because that would be too simple."

We laughed and moved toward the exit. Mr. Mitsu was gesturing wildly, trying to capture the attention of all the students still milling around.

My stomach growled as we entered the bus, and I clutched it. It'd been awhile since I'd eaten breakfast, seeing as I'd left the house earlier than usual today.

"When are we stopping for lunch?"

"As soon as everyone is here and accounted for," a teacher said distractedly.

Great. So basically, it'd be about 30 minutes before we stopped for lunch.

My stomach complained.

Ugh…there was no way I was going to last that long.

* * *

I fiddled with my necklace as I stood in the long food line, impatiently waiting for my turn to grab a tray.

Luckily the school had paid a nearby cafeteria to prepare as many hot lunch plates as needed, so we'd be able to just walk in and grab one.

I heard a loud slap ring out over the noisy voices and I immediately knew that Sango and Miroku were somewhere behind me.

"And you were doing so well today. Too bad you just blew it!"

"Sango! Come back! I couldn't help it. You were right there in front of me and…my hand did it involuntarily. I swear!"

A few seconds later I was joined by a furious Sango.

"I can't believe that guy! Last time his excuse was that his hand had a rare disease which caused it to spasm and do things against his will."

I laughed. "I can just imagine him saying that."

"Hmph. Next time he gropes my ass, I'm punching him in the face. And then I'm breaking both his arms so he'll be unable to molest anyone."

"And I'm sure we can just say he fell down some stairs, right?"

Sango shrugged. "Sounds like a plausible excuse to me."

We moved forward in line and each grabbed a tray and drink.

"I think I see Inuyasha over there," Sango said, slanting her head in the direction of a long table on the other side of the room. I nodded and started off in his direction with her following along behind me.

"Kagome!"

I looked over at Koga and sighed.

"Sorry. This won't take long; I'll be over there in a second."

I made my way to the three wolf demons who were crowded around a small 4 top.

"What is it now, Koga?"

"So I guess you don't want your explanation, huh?" he questioned with an arched eyebrow.

I glared at him before sinking down into the last empty chair around the table.

"Go on. I'm listening."

Koga smirked and leaned back in his chair. "Well," he started, "you see, Hakkaku, Ginta, and I are in a band, and that place that I took you today? It's one of the best places a band could perform. Know why?"

I shook my head, shoving a french fry in my mouth.

"Because that place is crawling with talent scouts. It's where every good band has made its beginning and it's also where I plan to make ours. Right guys?"

Ginta and Hakkaku nodded their heads obediently.

"_But_," Koga continued, "for two months that bastard, Naraku, refused to let us play because we had no vocals."

I sat there for a second, confused. "Yeah, so, what does this have to do with me?"

Realization hit.

"Koga Ookami!" I stood up, my chair scraping loudly. "You volunteered _me _to be your singer?"

Koga winced at my outburst and leaned forward in his chair, so that all four legs were on the floor.

"Now, Kagome…it's not as bad as it seems—"

"You're right!" I screeched. "It's worse! You've never even heard me sing!"

"Don't have to. I can tell you have a good voice. Now sit down and stop drawing attention."

I reluctantly sat back down in my seat, my face hot with anger and embarrassment.

"Kagome, listen, the songs we've written aren't that hard, pitch-wise…and the words are easy," Ginta reasoned.

"We really want this, Kagome. It'll just be this once. And Koga will be singing backup, so it's not like you'd be singing by yourself," Hakkaku added.

Koga reached out and grabbed my hands, eyes locked with mine in a silent plead. "Please, Kagome. It would really mean a lot to me…us, I mean…if you would do this."

"But, I can't—I mean, I've never-", I looked at their expectant faces staring back at me and knew that I was fighting a losing battle. Koga released my hands and dug into his pocket, bringing out a small box.

"I bought these for you," he said, opening the little package and revealing two dangly earrings that would match my new necklace perfectly.

_Noooo._ I was a sucker for bribery.

I stared longingly at the little earrings, biting my lip in indecision.

I threw my hands up in defeat and sighed. "Fine! I'll do it."

The three guys stood up and high- fived, Koga leaning forward to gently place the box in my hand.

"Thank you so much, Kagome. Consider your Leaf Pile debt repaid in full."

"Gee, thanks," I said bitterly as I stood up with my tray.

I left the dancing wolves and made my way over to Inuyasha and the others, plopping down in a seat.

"What was that all about?" Sango asked from beside me.

I took a giant bite of my hamburger before answering her.

"I just agreed to do a small favor for them."

"Keh, looks like that damn wolf is about to pee on himself, he's so happy."

I glanced at Inuyasha, who was busy scowling over at the ecstatic wolf demons.

"Yeah," I mumbled distractedly, thinking about that promise I had made to stay away from Koga. This meant I was going to have to sneak around Inuyasha to practice with them, and I wasn't comfortable with that.

I continued shoveling food in my mouth, noticing with a pang, that Inuyasha wouldn't meet my eyes.

Great. He wasn't happy about this. And he didn't even know the half of it.

But what was I supposed to do?

I was going to have to avoid Inuyasha to be with Koga and avoid Koga to be with Inuyasha, and if I avoided Inuyasha that left a chance for Kikyo to move in, but if I avoided Koga to be with Inuyasha then that let him and the band down and…ugh!

I gave up trying to sort out all the confusing thoughts swirling around my head, and commenced shoving as much food as I could possibly fit into my mouth.

* * *

The bus ride back was long and quiet for me.

Inuyasha was talking to Kikyo across the aisle, Sango was preoccupied with trying to fight off Miroku, and Koga and the other two wolf demons were busy discussing band problems.

With nothing else to do, I leaned my head against the cool glass of the window and let my eyes drift shut.

Life had just gotten a little more complicated, and I wasn't sure if I was ready to handle it.

-End—

* * *

I'd like to give a shout out to **Kiari 13** for correctly guessing who Kagome's kidnapper was. I was impressed. :)

I'd also like to thank anyone else who has reviewed my story. I've really enjoyed reading them…

**Next Chapter**: Will Kagome be able to handle the pressure of balancing her life between Inuyasha and Koga?

Stick around to find out.

Thanx!

:D

_-RedThread_


	7. Good Day Goes Bad

Hello everyone! Thank you to those who reviewed. I appreciate it.

Now, on with the story…

:D

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

Chapter 7: Good Day Goes Bad

-Start—

Finally!

The weekend had arrived.

I smiled and stretched lazily in the sunlight, positioning myself on the shrine steps so that I was comfortable. Well, as comfortable as one could get on stone steps.

It was a beautiful, unseasonably warm day for fall, and I couldn't help the good feeling it gave me.

I shut my eyes and soaked in the sun, letting all my worries drift away.

"Kagome. Hey, wake up!"

_Ignore him. Ignore him. Ignore him. Ignore him._

I slit my eyes open and glared up at the golden eyes staring back.

"Do you mind, Inuyasha? Can't you see I'm busy?"

I watched as he moved to a strategic position, directly in my sunlight. His cold, dark shadow fell over me.

"You don't look busy to me."

"Well, I am. So if you would be so kind as to take one step to the left…."

He didn't move.

I sat up slowly, letting him know that I was not happy with his behavior.

"Alright, I'm listening. What do you want?"

He crouched down next to me, eyes glowing brightly. "Let's go somewhere and do something. I feel like we haven't hung out in ages."

I instantly perked up at the idea. "Okay. Where do you want to go?"

"I don't know…where do _you_ want to go?"

I leaned back, putting my elbows on the stairs behind me, thinking carefully. Hmm…a whole day with Inuyasha. What to do, what to do. "How about we walk to the park. We can go play on the playground!"

His eyebrows rose. "The _playground_?"

"Now, calm down, Inuyasha. I know you're excited and all, but you're going to have to contain yourself until we get there," I said with sarcasm as I stood and dusted the rubble off my pants.

He rolled his eyes. "It'll take a massive amount of effort, but I'll try."

He stood up, and we started down the stairs together, walking in comfortable silence.

After the whole cafeteria thing from yesterday, I was surprised that he was talking to me. When he'd avoiding eye contact, I was sure he was mad. But maybe that was just me over analyzing everything. As usual.

Oh well…

We were on talking terms, and that's all that mattered to me.

* * *

"Come _on,_ Inuyasha!"

"No way."

"Why not? You loved this when you were younger! Look, all these little kids don't care. Just do it."

"I said _no,_ Kagome."

I tugged on his sleeve, and looked up at his face, making sure he got the full force of my puppy eyes. "_Please."_

A small growl rumbled deep in his chest, and I knew he was close to cracking. I added a pout, poking my lips out petulantly.

"Fine," he gave in, throwing his hands into the air. "But I'm only doing it for, like, 5 minutes."

"Wahoo! Come on, come on!" I said excitedly, grabbing his hand and pulling him, making sure he was actually coming. "Ok," I said. "I'll go on this side, and you take that side."

"I can't believe I'm doing this."

"Stop complaining. Whether you admit it or not, you're going to love every minute of this, and you know it."

I sat down and waited for him to join me.

Inuyasha let out one last sigh and reluctantly sat down on the other side of the see-saw, causing my end to shoot up into the air. He glared at me before pushing off the ground. I dropped back down to the ground.

"See? Isn't this fun?" I said happily.

Inuyasha looked like he was ready to murder me. I grinned at him, and pushed off the ground, sending him back down to the earth.

Despite his complaining, I could tell he was having a good time. His mouth was curved ever so slightly in the corner, giving away the small smile he was trying to hide. I giggled at his half-hearted efforts.

He and I went up and down, back and forth, for about 30 minutes, talking and laughing about random things, and soon we were walking around the playground reminiscing about our younger days.

"Remember the time you were crossing the monkey bars, and I pulled your pants down while you were hanging?"

Inuyasha crossed his arms and scowled. "Yes, I remember that _quite_ clearly. I was ready to kill you."

"Aw, but those little doggy bones on your underwear were so cute!"

Inuyasha blushed and turned his head away from me. "Keh"

"Heh…don't you wish we could go back to being little kids again? I miss getting into trouble and doing stupid things. So much has changed since we've gotten older."

"Yeah," he turned his face towards me again. "I know what you mean. Things seemed so much easier when we were younger. And that was before I-…."

He stopped abruptly, leaving the sentence hanging, a weird look on his face.

"Before you what?"

"Nothing…doesn't matter."

"Awe, tell me! You can't stop now that you've started!"

"I forgot what I was going to say."

I narrowed my eyes in suspicion. "You're lying."

"Am not," he defended.

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Fine, I'll let you slide this time. But you have to tell me what you were going to say when you remember, okay?"

He looked down at me, silently contemplating something.

"Yeah, sure."

"M'kay, good. Now, let's go to the ice cream store so you can buy us some ice cream."

"Huh? Why do _I_ have to buy the ice cream?"

"Because you're the boy, duh. Now, come on!"

I ran off.

What was he hiding?

"Wait for me, Kagome!"

* * *

"Thanks!" I called to the worker behind the counter as I pushed the door open behind and stepped through the doorway.

We'd decided to sit outside, since the weather was so nice. In fact, it was too nice; I was having a hard time keeping my ice cream from running down my hand.

Inuyasha smirked as I tried to desperately save my hand from the sticky substance dripping down my cone. "That's why you should get a cup," he admonished.

"But I like to eat the cone," I argued.

"Well then, don't complain when your hand is covered in ice cream."

I rolled my eyes and continued my frenzied licking.

"So. What kind of favor are you doing for Koga?"

I looked up sharply. "Umm, well…it's nothing really worth mentioning."

_Crap! Should I lie to him? _

He arched an eyebrow. "Is that so? It seemed pretty important to him."

"Yeah, well, it's not that big of a deal...really, Inuyasha."

I was going to lie to him. For some reason my gut was telling me to keep it a secret. I looked back down at my cone and continued licking, trying to catch all of the dripping streams of vanilla ice cream that had escaped.

The silence stretched and I glanced back up at Inuyasha, a questioning look on my face. He stared back at me, blinked slowly, then busted out laughing.

"What?" I demanded.

"You have ice cream all over your face!"

"Huh? Are you serious?"

I reached for a handful of napkins and stuck my tongue out at Inuyasha as he clutched his side in laughter. "Jerk."

I wiped all around my mouth and then looked back at him for approval. "Better?"

He snorted. "You missed a spot."

"Where?"

I froze as Inuyasha reached across the small table and gently scraped a claw across my nose. "Got it."

I felt my face heat up, and struggled to calm myself down. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it." He stuck his claw tip into his mouth. "Tastes good."

"Yeah…that's why I get it," I said lamely, as I looked away, embarrassed.

I sat there awkwardly for a few seconds, and grasped for something to talk about. "Um…So, what are you doing the rest of this weekend?"

Inuyasha stared off into the distance, almost in a daze. "Nothing. Tomorrow I have to go to the airport with Mom to pick up Dad and Sesshomaru."

"Oh, really? They're coming back from America, right?"

"Yeah."

"I've always wanted to go there," I said dreamily, imagining all of the places I wanted to visit.

"Really?"

"Yup! Hey, when we get older lets go together, ok? It'd be fun!"

"Keh."

The conversation died, and we were silent again.

"Sooo…What do you wanna do now?" I asked. Obviously he was betting bored.

"Mmm…What time is it?" His eyes flashed down to his watch then back up at me. "It's 4:30, so I've got about an hour or so left before I have to get back home."

"You have a 5:30 curfew?" I laughed.

"No…worse… I have to help Mom clean the house before Dad and Sesshomaru get home tomorrow," he sighed.

"Sucks for you."

"No kidding."

We stood up, our plastic chairs scraping on the brick patio. We threw our trash away and then started up the street in the general direction of our houses…and Koga's.

"So why can't you tell me about this favor you're doing for him?" Inuyasha said casually as we walked past the wolf demon's house.

"Why do you care so much?" I asked defensively.

"Because you promised you'd stay away from him, remember?"

"Don't worry, I will soon as I've done my little act of kindness."

"And how long will this little act of kindness take?"

"Uh, an afternoon maybe?" I lied.

Inuyasha looked at me curiously. "You do realize how weird that sounds right?"

"And just what do you mean by-," I paused and thought about it for a second. "You perv! It's not _that_ kind of favor! You've been hanging out with Miroku too much!"

Inuyasha smirked. "You're _blushing._"

"Am not! It's the sun. I'm probably sunburned.."

"You were definitely not burned two seconds ago."

"Oh, shut up," I said and swiped a punch at him.

"Ow, Kagome! Why do you punch so hard?"

"Because it's the only way to make you be quiet."

Well, at least the subject had switched over to something other than Koga. Inuyasha could probably tell I was lying.

We had arrived back at my house, and now we were slowly walking up the stairs, arguing halfheartedly about my punching problem. About halfway up, I stopped and flopped down on the same steps I'd been perched on earlier today. A few seconds later Inuyasha joined me.

"Hey, Kagome…"

"Hmm?"

"There's actually something I wanted to talk about."

I studied him carefully. It was getting dark so it was hard to tell, but I _think_ he was blushing. "Go on…"

"It's about how I feel..."

_Huh? How he feels?_ _Wait…_ My mind raced. _Is this a confession? **To me?** I'm not ready for this! What do I do? What do I do? _I sat up straighter, my heart in my throat.

"…toward Kikyo."

My heart slammed back down into the pit of my stomach. How he feels about Kikyo? Is that what he just said?

"Kagome, I can't stop thinking about her."

"Is that so?" I said weakly, trying to hide the hurt in my voice.

"Yeah, and I feel so …different when I'm with her. I feel like she's a mystery and I'm constantly trying to get her to unfold. I mean, she still won't even let me walk her home."

"Inuyasha, you sound a bit obsessed." I crossed my arms and schooled my features. "Maybe you should leave some mysteries unsolved."

"But that's just the thing, Kagome. It's like the harder I try _not _think about her, the more I _do_ think about her. You know what I'm saying?"

I did. Because that's exactly what happened to me when I thought of _him_.

"I'm at my wits end. I don't know what to do anymore. Sometimes I feel like she's into me, but other times I feel like she's trying to stay away, and it's driving me crazy."

"Well, don't come to me with your problems. I am _not_ your love adviser," I said harshly.

"Come on, Kagome. You've always helped me through my girl problems before…What do you think I should do?"

"I think you should leave her alone."

_Please Inuyasha…just let this one girl go._

"What if I don't want to?"

"Well then, you're on your own. I refuse to help you get together with her."

"You know, somehow I'm getting the feeling you don't really like Kikyo."

"I don't," I said levelly.

"Why?"

"Because I feel like I'm being replaced, and I don't like that."

Inuyasha stared at me quietly in the growing darkness and I stared back.

"Inuyasha," I said at last, "if you decide to get together with her, then that promise I made about Koga is off. You hang with Kikyo, then I'm hanging with Koga, got it?"

At least I wouldn't have to lie to him anymore.

"Kagome," Inuyasha sighed, "you aren't being replaced."

"Do you agree or not?"

His silence answered my question.

So that meant he was going to try to get with Kikyo. Great. And to think today had started out as such a good day.

"Alright, I have to go." I stood and started stomping up the stairs.

"Are you mad?"

I spun around at the sound of his voice, nearly losing my balance in the process. "No, not at all," I said tightly. "Where on earth did you get_ that_ idea?"

"You're mad."

"Just go away, Inuyasha. I don't feel like talking to you right now."

His expression shifted. "What's your problem?"

"Go. Away."

Something in my voice must've finally gotten through to him, because he didn't speak or follow me. I marched up the stairs, fuming.

How could that stupid idiot be so oblivious to my feelings?

When I reached the house I slammed the door open and pounded up the staircase to my bedroom.

"Kagome? Is that you? Don't you want some dinner?"

"Not hungry!"

"Okaaay. Obviously _somebody_ is not in a good mood."

Mama grew silent and then continued talking to Souta and Grandpa.

I shut my door, with much more force then necessary, and threw myself onto my bed. Unbidden tears sprang into my eyes, and for once I left them alone as they streamed down my face.

This was the last straw. I couldn't take much more. And I knew things would only get worse from here on out.

He made so jealous sometimes. If only he could have a taste of his own medicine.

I sat up suddenly. That was it! The only thing I had never tried (besides out right confessing) was making him jealous. Making him want something he couldn't have. Making him see how much he wanted me.

I grabbed my pillow and leaned back against the wall, a hazy outline beginning to form in my head.

Hmm…He'd already admitted a dislike toward Koga, so that was definitely a sign of potential jealousy. I just needed to intensify it.

I sat there for a long time, different ideas rolling through my mind, before I finally fell asleep.

Starting tomorrow, Plan Make Inuyasha Jealous and Want Me More than Ever would be enacted.

-End-

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	8. Reality Hurts

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha…

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* * *

Chapter 8: Reality Hurts

-Start—

"The Make Inuyasha Jealous and Want Me More Than Ever plan?" Sango repeated dubiously.

"What? You don't like the name?"

She raised an eyebrow. "It's a little revealing, don't you think?"

"Hmm…good point," I mumbled. I reached for a napkin and pen, concentrating for a second before beginning to write. "Lets call it this!"

"And what the _hell_ does that mean?"

I stared down at what I had written. Mijawmmte. "It's an abbreviation of Make Inuyasha Jealous and Want Me More Than Ever."

Sango closed her eyes in frustration. "Kagome…let's just call it Plan J for _Jealousy,_ okay?" She opened her eyes and gestured at the napkin. "I mean, how do you even _pronounce_ that?"

I shrugged my shoulders and turned back to my lunch. "I thought it was good! Whatever. Plan J works too."

Sango speared a pear and chewed on it thoughtfully. "So, what is your _plan_ for Plan J?"

"To make Inuyasha jealous and want more than ever."

She raised an eyebrow. "In other words, you have no idea what you're doing."

"Precisely. I need your help, Sango," I begged.

She rolled her eyes and finished off the pear, a sly smile already forming on her face.

"Sure, I'll help. That's what friends are for, right?"

* * *

Lunch ended, and everyone began to file back to their respective classrooms. I parted with Sango reluctantly, dragging my feet down the hallway in the opposite direction. When I entered the classroom I noticed that Koga had already positioned his desk next to mine in preparation for continuing our project.

"You sure are working hard today," I commented as I sat down next to him. "What's gotten into you?"

Koga looked up from the paper he was writing on. "First off, I'm definitely not working on the project, if that's what you were thinking. Second, I'm in the mood, so I've got to write."

"What are you writing?"

"Music. I've been working on this particular song for months."

I stared over at the paper curiously. It was covered in an interesting collage of erase marks, lyrics, and music notes._  
_

My stomach suddenly clenched in a nervous fit as my eyes skimmed over the messy page. In just two mere weeks, I would be singing for Koga's band. And we hadn't even had a single practice.

"Kagome?"

I looked up from the paper. "Yeah?"

"We're practicing after school today. At my house. Think you can make it?"

"Are you kidding me? I'll be the first one there," I said vehemently.

"Eager, aren't you?"

"I'd like to practice at least once before I'm thrown onstage, Koga."

"Trust me, you'll get plenty of practice."

"You better hope so."

He shook his head and looked back to his paper, a smirk on his face. "I'll meet you in the cafeteria after school. You can walk home with me."

"Sounds good." I stood up and left him to his music. Somebody had to work on this project. I angled myself toward the back of the classroom and shot for the table loaded with a variety of poster-board.

I'd just begun sifting through the posters when my favorite person decided to join me.

"Hello, Kikyo."

"Hello, Kagome."

We stood in silence, and I could feel her eyes boring into me. I turned away from her, still searching for a suitable poster.

"You know, that's a nice necklace," she said casually as she flipped a bright pink poster onto the floor, out of the way.

I looked over my shoulder in suspicion. "Thanks," I replied carefully. "Inuyasha bought it for me."

"Oh, really? He spoils you like a little sister, doesn't he?"

_What is she trying to imply?_

I frowned. "We've known each other for a long time. He likes to spoil me."

She smiled slightly and it didn't reach her eyes. "How sweet."

I turned away from her, effectively ending the conversation. I knew what ploy she was trying to use, but getting under my skin by playing the "little sister" card was _not_ going to work.

"So," Kikyo started, drawing the word out lazily, "Inuyasha said he wants to meet in the gym after school. Says he has something important to ask me."

Okay, _now _she was getting under my skin. Kikyo was practically _inviting _me watch Inuyasha confess to her…because she knew that's what he was going to do, I could tell.

"Is that so?" I asked coldly.

"Yeah, just thought you'd want to know. You guys walk home together everyday, so I didn't want you to be waiting around all afternoon for Inuyasha to show up."

I watched the corner of her lips twitch upward.

_Bitch._

I wasn't one for cussing…but honestly, she was a bitch. End of story.

"Actually, I'm going home with somebody else today, so I wasn't planning on walking with Inuyasha in the first place." I paused, attempting to calm myself and be civil. "But thanks for looking after me," I finally added, sugarcoating my words with false sincerity. She wasn't the only one who could be fake.

_What is her deal?_

I moved a stack of posters with more force than necessary, and the whole load fell to the floor. I grumbled and stooped down to pick the posters up, beginning to get pissed at everything. They had scattered everywhere, and I pulled as many as I could into a haphazard pile; I was trying to get them all in one load. Except it didn't work. When I stood half the load fell back to the floor, scattering again. I glared down at the posters and ground my teeth.

_Great. Just great._

But even I stared down at the ground in frustration, I realized what I had done. I'd unwittingly uncovered the very poster I'd been hunting for. My gaze darted from the poster to Kikyo.

Her eyes darkened in knowledge. She knew I wanted it. My hands were still full and there was nothing I could do to stop her as she stepped forward. I watched in quiet fury as Kikyo bent down and gently picked up the poster.

"This will do, I guess. Thanks, Kagome."

I stared, speechless, as she turned and walked away, taking my poster with her.

_That did not just happen._

I repeated those words over and over within in my mind like a mantra, trying to stay calm. I dumped the load of posters in my arms and grabbed a random poster board before marching back to my desk. Koga stared at me in concern and winced slightly when I slammed the poster down.

"Uh…any particular reason you're surrounded by a _battle_ aura?"

I glared down at him and he raised his hands innocently.

"Just asking. My bad."

I slumped into the seat next to him and furiously began cutting away at our papers. Koga watched me with wary eyes, his mouth set into a tight line.

"I'm thinking maybe you shouldn't be holding those scissors right now," he said carefully as I gave a particularly sharp snap.

I slanted my eyes toward him and he backed off.

"Alright, alright. It was just a suggestion. I don't know what happened back there, but I don't want you to impale some innocent bystander. Namely me."

I spent the rest of the day working on the project while Koga quietly divided his time between composing his music and staring at me in annoyance. He eventually snapped and broke his silence.

"Kagome. You just glued that on upside down," he said flatly.

I stared down at the poster as though I just realized it was there. Crap. He was right. I sighed and surrendered my scissors to Koga's outstretched hand.

"I'll just let you handle it from here."

Koga grunted and gazed at our poster resignedly; it needed a lot of work.

* * *

At long last, the bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. I shot out of my seat and through the doorway, leaving Koga behind to clean up. Hopefully I would catch Sango at her locker. I desperately needed a female to talk to.

"Whoa, Kagome! In a hurry?"

Sango held her arms out to stop me as I tumbled into her, causing us both to nearly fall. After we were both securely balanced she drew me back arms length, and studied me.

"What's with the battle aura?"

"I'm going to throttle her," I hissed. "She wants a fight? Well now she's got one."

"Who? Kikyo?"

"Of course! Who else?"

"What happened?" Sango was using her "_calm down Kagome, you're overreacting"_ voice, but this time it only served to make me more angry. I was _not_ overreacting.

I ground my teeth.

Sango stared. "Come on Kagome spit it out."

"She took my friggin' poster!" I exploded.

"Your poster?" Sango asked. "She _took_ your poster? Is that_ it_? Oh, come on, Kagome! I thought you were going to give me something good."

"It gets better."

Sango's face brightened, her voice shifting from an exasperated tone to a more conspiratorial one. "Tell me everything."

* * *

I slowly made my way to the cafeteria, not caring how long I made Koga wait. My mind was still functioning on a different wavelength. I thought through Sango and my conversation again.

"_So what are you going to do, Kagome? Are you going to take that from her?"_

Truth be told, I just wanted to go home and lay on my bed with a tub of ice cream. But that was something I couldn't do because it would be the same as admitting defeat…and this war was just getting started. So my next course of action was to stick with Plan J.

I was abruptly shaken out of my musings as a nearby door slammed open, the noise loud enough to make me jump. My first reaction was to slip around the corner of a nearby hallway and stay out of sight. My heart was beating furiously, and I placed a hand on my chest in an attempt to alleviate my fear.

The hallway remained silent, and I breathed out carefully, feeling ridiculous.

_Geez...What am I doing?_

I stepped around the corner and felt my heart stop at the sight before me. Kikyo and Inuyasha were holding hands, talking quietly as they made their way down the hallway toward the cafeteria. She was smiling cheerfully (the best smile I'd ever seen from her, actually) while he swung their loosely clasped hands back and forth.

So it was a done deal. They were officially a couple.

I turned away as Kikyo reached over and punched Inuyasha lightly on the arm, causing a grin to spread across his face.

_He always complains when** I** do that._

My back thudded against the lockers behind me and I slowly slid down to the floor, placing my head on my knees.

_He promised._

But I'd been replaced despite our agreement. I felt the tell-tale burning in my eyes that meant I was holding back tears.

_It's not supposed to be like this._

I sniffled, and clenched my fists.

_What about me?_

_-_End-

* * *

Short Chapter :)

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	9. An Extra Dosage of Heartache

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha…

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* * *

Chapter 9: An Extra Dosage of Heartache

-Start—

"Kagome!"

My head lifted at the sound of my name echoing down the hallway. Koga rounded the corner and I let my face drop back onto my knees.

"There you are. What gives?"

He paused and the silence stretched. I was too embarrassed to look up at him.

"What's wrong, Kagome?"

I could feel his eyes boring into my hunched shoulders as he walked closer.

"Nothing," I mumbled between my knees. "It's nothing." I raised my head and stared at him, trying to convince myself of my own words.

He studied me for a few minutes more before finally offering his hand in silence; I took it, grateful he wasn't pressing the subject. I released his claw-tipped hand once I was back on my feet and started down the corridor at a brisk pace. Koga was back in youkai form and he kept up easily.

I couldn't stop my hands from clenching as we turned the corner and passed the gym.

When we entered the cafeteria my eyes immediately searched for the happy couple, but they were nowhere in sight. Thank God. I heaved a sigh of relief and started toward the double doors that led out to the courtyard.

I began to push through the door and then froze, causing Koga to nearly collide with me.

They were still here.

Inuyasha and Kikyo were standing on the other side of the double doors, he apparently trying to talk her into something. Inuyasha's ears twitched in annoyance. He'd taken his Human Ring off as well.

I could feel my body shake in indecision, confused as to whether it should run and hide or walk through the doorway as if nothing were amiss.

Koga stepped beside me and neatly hooked his arm through mine. My shaking intensified. "C'mon, Kagome."

He reached out and pushed through the doors, pulling my disoriented body along beside him. I tried to get a look at his face to see what he was up to, but he gave nothing away.

His arm shifted until it was wrapped around my waist and I was forced to protest. "Koga. What are you doing?"

"Helping you."

"I can walk perfectly fine."

"I'm aware of that."

"Then wh-"

"Just trust me, Kagome."

My brow creased as he pulled me even closer, our embrace intimate now. "So," he said loudly as we continued walking toward Inuyasha and Kikyo, "which movie do you want to see this weekend?"

I stared up at the tall wolf demon in confusion. "Huh?"

_Is he asking me on a date?_

"Horror? Adventure? Romance? Your choice."

"I don't," my eyes shifted to Inuyasha and Kikyo. They were both watching avidly. "I don't care," I finished, shifting my gaze back to Koga, finally catching on to his game.

His lips twitched upward.

"How about a romance?" he asked. The tone of his voice had changed subtly, dropped lower.

I pulled away from him and crossed my arms, showing him my back. It was all an act.

"How do I know you won't do something perverted?" I asked innocently.

He draped his arms over my shoulders from behind and I stiffened. His breath ghosted past my ear as he spoke.

"You don't," he whispered.

I stood there for a second, shivers running up and down my spine. Nobody (much less a guy) had ever touched me like this, and my skin was tingling in a foreign way that wasn't entirely uncomfortable.

"Oi! Kagome!"

I snapped out of my trance at the sound of Inuyasha's irritated voice calling my name.

"Come here. Wolf boy too."

I stepped forward and Koga's arms slid off my shoulders, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

_Focus, Kagome._

Koga walked beside me as we made our way over to Inuyasha and Kikyo. My eyes narrowed suspiciously as Kikyo graced us with a little smile.

"Hey, Kagome," she greeted, pulling Inuyasha closer and lacing their fingers together.

"Hello, Kikyo," I said just as pleasantly, making sure Koga was still next to me by intertwining my arm with his.

"I couldn't help but overhear your and Koga's plans for this weekend," she said sweetly. "You wouldn't mind if Inuyasha and I tagged along, would you? We could call it a double date."

_As if, _I sneered in my mind.

Inuyasha looked uncomfortable.

Koga pulled gently on my arm. "Why not? It might be fun. Right, Kagome?"

My gaze darted to Koga's, silently questioning his motives. Was this what he'd planned all along? I thought we were just trying to get Inuyasha to notice how close we were with each other. "Ye… Yeah…Sounds great," I said reluctantly.

"Okay then. We'll meet you guys at 7 p.m on Saturday and catch a late movie," Koga added.

Kikyo nudged Inuyasha in the ribs. "How does that sound to you?"

"Keh."

She rolled her eyes. "I'll take that as a yes. We'll see you Saturday at 7."

I stared dumbly as she and Inuyasha walked away, her arm raised in farewell as if we were best friends.

"Bye, Inuyasha!" I called.

"See ya, Kagome."

I was jerked from my thoughts as Koga grabbed my arm and swung me onto his back. My legs automatically clenched around his middle.

"We're late," he said over his shoulder. I had no time to protest or grill him with questions because he shot off in the direction of his house. I buried my face in his neck, trying to keep the sharp wind from burning my eyes.

_This is insane. Am I really going on a double date with **Kikyo and Inuyasha?**_

"Slow poke!" Koga taunted as we sped by said couple.

I twisted my neck, watching as they shrank into the distance; the little figure that was Inuyasha had his fist raised in the air and a snarl on his face.

* * *

As soon as Koga dropped me off his back, I rounded on him.

"What are you thinking?"

He glanced at me in confusion. "We were in a hurry so I—"

"Not that! You know what I'm talking about. Saturday at 7? A double date with _them?_ What are you trying to pull?"

Inuyasha and Kikyo weren't in my sights anymore and I could finally feel my anger surfacing over the whole thing. I glared at Koga as he bent over and pulled up his garage door, revealing a bunch of band equipment and two bored wolf youkai.

"First off, Kagome," he started, making his way towards an old refrigerator sitting on the far wall, "you should be thanking me."

"For what exactly?" I demanded.

"I," he drew out two Dr. Peppers and tossed one at me, "have just provided you with extra time for Plan J."

"And how exactly is-" _Wait a minute. _"You know about Plan J?"

"Me, and probably everyone at our table; you and Sango were very loud at lunch."

I paused a moment, popping the top on my soda and thinking about where Koga's table was located. "Where do you guys sit?"

"Right behind you."

_Crap. Maybe we were a little loud. Who else heard about Plan J?_

I shook my head, clearing away the distracting thoughts. I wasn't finished with my interrogation.

"So, enlighten me on this little double date plan of yours," I said, crossing my arms with my soda still clenched in one hand.

Koga slammed the refrigerator shut and then flopped down on an old couch between his two buddies who were having a very serious discussion about the effects of Dr. Pepper on belching.

"Just think about it Kagome," Koga reasoned over the voices of his friends. "You like Inuyasha, right?"

I held my silence.

"And you want _him _to want_ you _by making _him_ jealous, right?

"Something like that, yes."

"Well then," Koga snapped open his can of Dr. Pepper, "on Saturday night, all you need to do is act into _me_, and then we'll observe his reaction."

"You're really going to help me?"

"I did earlier today, didn't I?"

"I feel like there's a catch."

"No catch."

I glanced over at Hakkaku and Ginta.

"What about them? Are they in?"

Koga shrugged. "They know about Plan J as well. So yeah."

I felt a slow buzz rush through my veins, overtaking the anger that still remained, making me feel giddy with unexpected excitement. I was pumped.

…But I had a whole week to wait.

I popped the top on my Dr. Pepper and slouched into a mismatched chair, trying to hold onto the excitement that was pulsing through me. Right at that moment Koga drained the last of his drink and stood up, a determined expression on his face.

"Ok,"he declared, "it's time for us to get this practice started." He took aim and shot his empty soda into a trashcan. "Ginta, you got the mikes hooked up?"

"Yeah, Koga, but watch out because-," Koga took a step and thudded to the floor.

"…err, the cords are pulled a little tight."

The fallen wolf demon glared up at Ginta from his position on the ground, and I couldn't help but laugh, causing his glare to turn on me. Koga reached out and grabbed the armrest of my chair, pulling himself off the floor.

"Don't know why you're laughing. Bet you trip before practice is over."

"Pfft. Not likely now that you've _so clearly_ shown me where the cord lies."

Koga turned and walked away, heading towards an impressive looking guitar.

"Wanna bet on it?"

* * *

I didn't end up tripping.

Not a single time.

But by the time it grew dark and band practice was finally over, I'd forgotten all about that little bet.

"You did well today, Kagome. Was it enough practice for you?"

"Plenty," I croaked back at him. He'd volunteered to take me home, even though I'd _insisted_ I could walk across the street alone. When we reached the stairs that led up to my house he continued to follow. An involuntary shiver ran up my spine as he silently climbed the stairs behind me.

"So how long?"

I glanced over my shoulder. "How long what?"

"How long have you been in love with him?"

I continued to trudge up the stairs. "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about."

"I'm guessing 5 years, maybe 6. Am I close?"

My shoulders slouched forward, and I continued to climb in silence.

Koga kept guessing."No? Okay, how about… 8 years?"

I flinched.

"10?"

"Stop guessing Koga; you're depressing me."

He laughed and quickly bounded up the stairs before turning back to stare down at me.

"Do you really love him _that_ much?"

I drug my gaze away from Koga's inquisitive blue stare and studied the ground; it was too late to do anything about the blush creeping up my neck. Hopefully the darkness would prevent him from seeing it at all.

"Yes, Koga," I whispered, "even though it's hardly any of your business. I do love him _that_ much."

* * *

When I finally walked into the house, Mama was busy setting out dinner plates and Grandpa and Souta were busy hovering around the table like a pair of vultures. I rolled my eyes at their antics and ran upstairs to deposit my backpack on my bed and wash my face. It still was an unseemly shade of red.

A few minutes later, when I had taken care of my face and calmed myself, I headed downstairs to take my place at the dinner table. Mama instantly began questioning me.

"You're home awfully late, Kagome. Where've you been all evening?" she asked casually. I stared at her warily, trying to gauge her tone and judge whether or not she was mad at my late arrival home.

"I was at Koga's house working on our project for Mr. Mitsu," I lied, hoping that answer would satisfy her.

"Oh, really?" she questioned with a raised eyebrow. "I would have thought you were over at Inuyasha's house. Who's Koga? Have I met him before?"

I focused on loading my plate with food, ignoring the way my pulse sped at the mention of Inuyasha. "I don't think you have, actually. Koga is the guy who sits next to me in class. He and I are partners for this stupid project Mr. Mitsu has recently assigned." I paused to pour myself a drink. "I'll probably get home late this entire week."

Mama scooped some rice onto her plate. "Where does he live?"

"Literally right down the street. His family is in the house sort o

f diagonal from ours. He insisted on walking me home tonight because it was dark, so don't stress over it, Mama."

She smiled at me, and I immediately felt guilty for lying to her.

* * *

Sango picked up on the 3rd ring.

"_Hello?"_

"Hey. So guess what happened after school today."

_"Just tell me. Does it involve Kikyo?"_

"Of course."

"_Start_ _talking," _she demanded.

I told her everything from the moment we left each other that afternoon to the point where Koga swung me onto his back and whisked me away.

"_Are you serious?"_

"As a heart attack."

"_So you're going to invite me, right?"_

"You won't feel like a fifth wheel?"

"_Oh, please, Kagome. As if I'd show up without a date."_

"So you want to get ready over at my house or yours?"

I could practically feel her smiling through the phone.

"_Yours. It's much closer to the theater than mine."_

"Alright. Sounds good."

"_I'll see you tomorrow, okay? I've got to go yell at Kohaku. He's officially entered the **butthole** stage in his preteen years."_

"Yeah, Souta's not that far behind. I know exactly how you feel. See ya, Sango…"

"_Bye. Kohaku! I swear if you don't sto—**click"**_

I flipped my phone shut and collapsed back onto my bed, my mind already a week ahead of me, thinking about Saturday.

_This might actually turn out to be fun. I haven't hung out with all my friends (minus Kikyo) in forever._

I finally fell asleep later that night with a grin plastered on my face as I dreamt about a jealous Inuyasha.

* * *

The rest of the week seemed to fly by in a hurried blur of projects and band practice. Inuyasha and I barely spoke at all, except for the occasional 'good morning' before class.

_I'll have plenty of time to talk to him this weekend, _I kept telling myself.

At 5 o'clock on Saturday, as I was sitting in the living room waiting for the arrival of Sango, I continued to repeat the same thing.

_He'll talk to you. Stop thinking about it so much, Kagome._

Sango finally diverted my mind from the hanyou when she came bursting through my bedroom door at 5:30, loud and apologetic.

"Phew…Sorry I'm so late! We only have, like, an _hour_ to get ready!" Her eyes darted toward what I held in my hand. "_Wait, wait, wait,_ Kagome. You're using that straightener _completely_ wrong. Here, let me do it."

I glanced down. "But... It's not even turned on. I just _picked it up,_ Sango."

"Exactly."

"What are you trying to say?"

* * *

An hour later, we were crowded around my small mirror double and triple checking ourselves.

"You look fine, I look fine, we _both_ look fine. So let's get a move on!" Sango declared. It took 10 more minutes before we finally did.

I fiddled with the colorful scarf that was draped fashionably around my neck as we walked down the street toward Koga's house. Sango seemed to pick up on my nervousness because she suddenly grabbed my hands and started spinning in circles.

"_Kagome!_ Show some excitement! This is going to be _fun_! I can't wait to see how Inuyasha reacts when you're holding Koga's hand_._"

I found her crazy mood contagious and when I imagined a flustered Inuyasha trying to make Koga stay away from me, I couldn't help but grin and turn in circles with her.

_Alright. Let the games begin._

_-End—_

* * *

Oh lordy…the next chapter is going to be so fun to write…

I'll have it out soon as I can!

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	10. A Triple Date

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha…

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* * *

Chapter 10: A Triple Date

-Start-

Sango finally released my hands and ran off down the street.

"I'll meet you guys up there, okay? Don't let the fun start without me!"

I smiled and waved as she disappeared around the corner, her long hair flying behind her. Once she was out of sight I turned and ambled down Koga's driveway, wondering if I should knock on the front door or try the garage. Just as I stopped in indecision, the front door opened and a human Koga stepped out, his dark blue eyes roaming over my outfit appreciatively.

"I like that shirt."

I self consciously moved my scarf in front of the low green V-neck that Sango forced me to wear, glaring at Koga in the process.

"Don't you think we're doing this backwards?" I asked, blushing.

"What do you mean?"

"Like…aren't _you _supposed to pick _me_ up?"

"No way! This is the 21st century! The ladies get the guys."

I raised a brow.

"Or," he said offhandedly, "it could just be the fact that my house is on the way to the movie theater."

"Now, _that_ makes more sense," I said as we made our way down the street.

Koga grinned, showing off flawless teeth, and I couldn't help but wonder why he was doing this for me. "Koga, why don't you have a girlfriend?"

He glanced at me from the corner of his eye. "Who says I don't?"

"Oh, please. You wouldn't be going on this "date" if you had a girlfriend, and you know it."

Koga laughed and raised his hands to the back of his head, looking for all the world as though he were reclining. "Yeah, you're right. I would never cheat on my girlfriend," he paused, "that is, if I had one."

I heaved a sigh of relief. Not at the fact that he didn't have a girlfriend, of course, but at the fact that he wasn't cheating on one.

"So, have you _ever_ had a girlfriend?"

He continued walking with his hands behind his head, and tilted his neck back so that he was looking up at the sky. "Yeah…I dated Ayame last year for 6 months."

"Ayame as in the Ayame with red hair and green eyes who sits at my lunch table?"

"That's her."

"I never knew you two dated! Why did you break up? She's really pretty."

"Yeah, well, that's about all there is to her. Believe me, there is absolutely nothing happening in that pretty little head of hers."

I smirked._ Heh. No wonder Kikyo bonded with her so well. They're on the same intellectual level._

"I decided I needed to find a woman with more brains," Koga said as he lowered his hands and stuck them into his pockets instead. His eyes turned to mine and I could feel my face heat up.

"Think you'll find her?"

His grinned secretively. "I think it's highly possible."

We walked in silence, and I played with my scarf, trying to escape from the awkwardness. I peeked over at Koga and realized that apparently I was the only one who was being affected. He walked easily next to me, his posture and stride comfortable and steady. I was caught off guard when he turned the force of the interrogation on me instead.

"So. Have _you_ ever had a _boyfriend?"_

I stiffened. "Yes…"

"Oh, really? What was his name?" Koga asked curiously.

"His name was Bankotsu."

"Bankotsu?"

"That's right."

"He moved to America, didn't he?"

"He did."

"We were in kindergaten."

I turned my nose up. "I had to let him down easy. I don't do long distance relationships."

Koga burst out laughing. "So, basically you've never had a real boyfriend?"

"I'm just waiting for the perfect guy to come along."

"Such as the one who moved here at the end of kindergarten?"

He was talking about Inuyasha. Inuyasha's family had moved into the huge mansion that was just down the street from my own teeny tiny house when I was only 5 years old. Our mothers became immediate friends, and the rest was history.

We'd been together ever since…

…well, until now perhaps.

I could feel my stomach knotting up as we got closer and closer to our destination.

_What if Inuyasha completely ignores me?_

_What if he doesn't even care that I'm with Koga?_

_What if—_

My internal monologue was abruptly cut off when Koga reached out and grabbed my hand, pulling me close to his side.

"Have you ever been kissed Kagome?"

My head snapped up and my eyes widened. I could feel my mouth opening and closing uselessly.

"I'll take that as a no," Koga said huskily as he swung our hands back and forth between us. I avoided eye contact and Koga's voice changed back yo normal when he noticed my red stained cheeks. "You're blushing, again? You sure have been doing that a lot lately."

"Koga," I growled in warning.

"Not my fault you blush at everything I say." He turned serious. "But you really need to loosen up a bit. If we're going to pull this off, you're going to have to make it convincing."

"I know," I said determinedly . Koga was right; I just needed to stop worrying about everything and relax. I blew out a deep breath and focused on what would be going down tonight.

Giddiness welled up in my chest, making me excited.

"Ready?" Koga asked. We were almost there.

And I was ready.

_Bring it, Kikyo._

* * *

When we finally arrived at the movie theater, we were 15 minutes late, and everyone else was already standing around waiting for us. I gripped Koga's hand tighter and laughed into his shoulder when I saw who was standing next to Sango as her date.

"Poor Sango. She's in for a wild night."

I could feel Koga's shoulders shake with laughter as he caught sight of the purple hoodie clad Miroku. Miroku raised a hand to wave at us.

We both grinned and waved back, laughing again as Sango immediately slapped at Miroku's upraised hand.

"But I wasn't even doing anything!"

"I know, I know," she said guiltily. "I'm sorry. It was an automatic reaction. Whenever I see your hand move, my body responds on its own."

"Oh, really?" His eyes gleamed.

"Miroku, don't even think of testing out that theory, because I _will_ hurt you."

I smiled at the arguing couple as Koga and I jogged over to them, our hands still clasped together.

"Sorry we're so late!" I apologized sheepishly, my breath coming out in visible puffs.

"Keh. Took you guys long enough," a bored voice complained.

Koga and I both looked over to the annoyed human Inuyasha, who was sitting on a bench a few feet away. Kikyo snuggled up next to him with a small smile on her face.

"Sorry. We were bonding," Koga replied easily, leaving just enough unsaid that it was suggestive. Everyone could thing what they wanted.

"Well, then let's go!" I said happily, dragging Koga over to the ticket counter. I diverted my eyes as Inuyasha offered a hand to Kikyo, helping her off the bench.

After much arguing and indecision we finally settled on a movie and got our tickets.

"Thanks for buying my ticket," I said to Koga. "The snacks are on me, okay?"

He shook his head in disagreement. "Nope, I'm buying everything. The guy always does. It's just the way things work."

My hands settled on my hips. "But this is the 21st century, Koga, remember?"

"Tch…you might as well give in, man. Once she plants her hands on her hips, it's settled. Believe me, I know. If you keep refusing you'll receive a hard punch on your left ar—OW!"

"You were saying?" I asked innocently, lowering the fist that had just connected with his arm.

"Hey!" he said, holding his hands up. "I was trying to _help_ you!"

I squinted at him suspiciously and he squinted right back at me.

…and then we burst out laughing.

"Haha! Your face! What kind of expression was that, Kagome?"

"Like you can talk. Yours reminded me of that time with the the soap! Remember?"

We clutched our sides and continued laughing, all tension melting between us. I grinned and basked in the glory of renewed friendship.

But friendship wasn't what I was after tonight.

A throat cleared behind us.

"Are you guys finished?"

Kikyo neatly slipped between us, forcing me to stumble back a few steps. She raised an elegant hand and pointed it in the direction of the snack line.

"By the way, Kagome, Koga just bought your snacks."

"What?" I said, spinning around, searching for the dark haired boy. He stepped away from the counter, two large drinks in each of his hands and one giant bag of popcorn wedged between his chest and arm. I rushed over to help him, leaving Inuyasha and Kikyo behind.

"Koga! I thought I told you _I_ was buying the snacks!"

He smirked down at me. "Too late…Here take this drink."

I gently took the drink, making sure none of the popcorn was disturbed, and then took a tentative sip. "Is this Dr. Pepper? How did you know this was my favorite?"

Koga laughed at me. "Are you kidding? You drank half a pack at my house. I figured you liked it at least a little bit."

"I really drank that much of your Dr. Pepper? I didn't even notice! But, technically it's your fault I was so thirsty."

"How so?"

"You had me screaming all night. You know my voice was hoarse the next day, right?"

"It's not my fault we had to redo them over and over again! You said you needed the practice. So therefore it's_ your_ fault you were so thirsty."

"Was not! _You_ wouldn't even let me have a break!"

"Well, obviously I gave you enough breaks to drink about 6 cans of soda."

"Hey! Are you guys coming or not?"

Koga and I dropped our conversation and turned to look at Sango, who was standing at the entrance to a theater.

"We're coming!" Kikyo called out as she a brushed by us, a loaded down Inuyasha following along behind her.

"We'll continue this conversation later," I said to Koga before following after everyone else. "Don't think I'll let you get away with blaming _me_ for drinking all those Dr. Peppers."

Koga rolled his eyes and grinned. "Geez, can't even get a simple 'Thank You' for buying her a drink in the first place," he mumbled.

I flashed him a smile. "Thank you _sooo_ very much, Koga, for buying this Dr. Pepper. I shall cherish it for the whole 1 hour and 30 minutes I have it," I said sweetly before starting down the dark hallway that led into the theater.

I made my way up the stairs to the very last row where Sango, Miroku, Kikyo, and Inuyasha were all sitting in that order. A couple of open seats were on the other side of Inuyasha.

_Which will put me right where I want to be._

I waded through everyone's legs, slapping Miroku on the head when I felt his foot connect with my butt.

"Freakin' lech," I mumbled, and then louder, "Sango why did you bring _him_ of all people?"

She let out a long suffering sigh. "He was the only person I could get hold of at such short notice."

"You do realize I can hear you right?" Miroku complained.

Sango and I both glanced down at him, barely missing a beat before replying.

"We know."

I laughed and continued down the row until I reached the empty seats next to Inuyasha.

"Gah! Kagome, that was my foot!"

I stared at Inuyasha's pain filled face through the darkness and quickly apologized. "Sorry, I'm sorry. I can't see!"

"It really hurts."

"Geez, do you want me to kiss it or something?" I asked as I plopped down in the seat next to him, settling my ginormous cup in a cup holder.

"No," he grumbled, "But I'll remember this."

I snorted at him. "I'll wager you forget before this movie is even over."

"Is that a challenge?"

My brows drew together in confusion. Inuyasha's voice sounded strange to me…like maybe he was really mad or reserved or…_something._

_Did I really step on his foot __**that**__ hard?_

"Yeah," I finally replied. "It is."

My train of thought shifted as I moved my legs to let Koga by. He settled himself next to me and I leaned over to steal a handful of popcorn, groaning in complaint when he shifted it just beyond my reach.

"Nah ah ah, not until the movie starts," he chided in a sing-song voice.

I pressed my back into the seat and pouted. "But I want some _now."_

"Too bad," Koga said cheerfully, reveling in my torture.

The dim lighting slowly died and a string of trailers began playing on the screen. I jumped when I felt Koga's breath whisper past my ear.

"So how do you think the plan is going? Any reaction from him yet?"

My eyes darted over to the human hanyou sitting next to me, and then down at his hand that firmly wrapped around Kikyo's.

"Nothing so far as I can tell," I whispered back, a twinge of disappointment jolting through my stomach. I felt Koga's hand search for mine in the dark, and then the heat of it as he threaded his fingers through mine.

"Then we'll just have to step it up a notch," he breathed.

My heart pounded at his words; I wasn't exactly sure what Koga was planning to do.

_What if he tries to kiss me? Am I going to let him? What if that's the only way to get under Inuyasha's skin? _

Koga moved our hands so that they were in his lap, and he relaxed into his chair, drawing out a handful of popcorn. I felt my own body relax after a few minutes, and then I reached out for a handful of popcorn too, this time managing to successfully grab some.

_I'm overreacting, _I reasoned. _I mean, Kikyo and Inuyasha aren't even kissing, and they actually go out._

But then about midway through the movie they were.

I felt the sharp claws of jealousy slide through my chest. I didn't want to see this, but my eyes kept slanting sideways, and then all I could see was the back of Inuyasha's head and Kikyo's hands circled loosely around his neck.

My face heated up in embarrassment and frustration. I scooted closer to Koga, letting my head drop to his shoulder so I couldn't see anything. He loosened our clasped hands and circled his arm around my shoulders drawing me closer.

"It's ok," he said softly into my hair. "We'll get them back."

At that moment I decided that if Koga was going to kiss me, I would let him. Obviously kissing was no big deal. And if Kikyo could do it, well then I could too.

I sat there and waited. Surely Koga would do something in a minute.

I heard the sound of a drink being slurped right next to me and I knew Inuyasha and Kikyo were taking a break.

"Ok," Koga whispered down at me, "I want to you to wrap your arms around my neck."

I lifted my head from his shoulder and snaked my arms around his neck just like he instructed. "Ok."

_This is it…he's going to kiss me…Good-bye first kiss!_

Koga's head drew closer to mine and I felt my eyes drifting shut.

I could feel my whole body tense with nervousness. I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing at this point. Did I angle my head? Purse my lips? Lean into him? Stay still? What was I supposed to _do?_

Just as I was beginning to officially freak out, I realized Koga's lips were not making contact with mine.

_What is he doing? _I flinched as his forehead suddenly dropped onto my own. It was almost like he was checking to see if I had a fever. My eyes flicked open and I found his own glinting back at me, taunting.

_He's... not going to kiss me, _I slowly realized.

I didn't move as I felt his breath tickle across my face. He was _so_ close.

_He knows I haven't been kissed. _I grinned. _He's not going to take my first kiss because he knows I'm saving it. _

And then it hit me. I could feel him smiling.

_It only __**looks**__ like we're kissing._

I heard a particularly loud slurp behind me, followed by a few choking coughs.

_He's seen us. _My smile grew, and I twirled my hands through Koga's hair, hoping that Inuyasha was watching it all.

_I wonder how long we should stay like this?_

At that precise moment I felt the pressure of Koga's forehead leave mine, and my arms slipped off his shoulders as he leaned away from me. His hand found mine again and he squeezed it lightly.

I squeezed his back twice.

_Thank You…_

I leaned down to my straw for a sip of my drink and realized that I _really_ needed to go to the bathroom. Still smiling about mine and Koga's little secret, I stood up and scooted past everyone to the end of the row, taking careful notice that Inuyasha and Kikyo seemed to only be holding hands now. I rolled my eyes when Miroku gave me a thumbs up and nodded his head.

_Little does he know my lips are still virgin._

I carefully made my way down the dark stairs and hallway, sighing in relief when I finally exited and found the bathrooms. I went as quickly as I could, without even knowing why. It's not like I knew what was going on in the movie. I'd lost interest about halfway through.

I wiped my wet hands on /my pants and I hurried back to the dark theater. I froze. Inuyasha was leaning just outside of the door. "What are you doing?" I questioned.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I had to use the restroom."

I smiled at him even though his voice seemed reserved like earlier. "Well, thanks for waiting on me." I reached for the door handle. "Come on, we're missing the movie." I grabbed his arm and started to drag him back down the dark hallway.

But suddenly _I_ wasn't the one pulling anymore. Inuyasha twisted me around so that my back thudded against the dark wall that was just behind me. His arms slammed on either side of my head, trapping my body between the wall and him. I stared up into his dark eyes, confusion on my face.

_What the heck is going on here?_

"Having fun on your _date,_ Kagome?"

His voice was dangerously low, and I felt shivers sweep up and down my spine as his breath drifted across my face.

"Of course, Inuyasha. And _you_ seem to be enjoying _your_ date too."

"I told you to stay away from him, Kagome," he growled, ignoring my smart-ass answer.

"I can't ignore him Inuyasha. We're on a _date._"

"You went to his house…"

"So what?"

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed. "Apparently he had you _screaming _the whole night. What's that all about? Huh, Kagome? What exactly did you and Koga _do_ at his house?"

"What the? Where did you hear that fro—"

My voice was smothered as Inuyasha clamped his hand against my mouth. He leaned in closer, making my outraged thoughts waver slightly as the distance between us closed. He still had his other hand placed against the wall near my head.

"Shh...We're in a movie theater, you idiot!"

I wriggled my head in protest of the hand over my mouth and he removed it.

"There's an action scene going on," I breathed. "So it's not like anyone can hear me."

"You still need to be quiet!" he hissed. He backed away from me, taking his hand off the wall and crossing his arms over his chest. I found that I could think much clearer when he wasn't as close.

"Alright. Now tell me who you heard that _ridiculous_ statement from," I asked in a hushed voice.

He turned away and started up the hallway, leaving me behind.

"Figure it out yourself, Kagome."

* * *

The movie was over before I finally figured out who had told him that.

It had been me.

He must have heard that conversation between Koga and I in the snack line and made his own assumptions. Yes, Koga had me screaming all night. Screaming _songs_. And I hadn't even really been screaming. That was a slight exaggeration on my part.

But maybe it was a good thing that Inuyasha had heard us. Obviously he was more than a little concerned.

"So, Kagome."

I turned toward Sango as we stood in the bathroom washing our hands. Kikyo had already finished up and gone back out to stand with the guys.

"How was it? You _have_ to tell me all the details!"

She was talking about mine and Koga's 'kiss.' I grinned at her mischievously, and wiped my wet hands on my pants. "I'm not saying anything until we get to my house."

"What? You're going to force me to wait that long? Come on, Kagome! Don't be so cruel."

I laughed at her pitiful expression and stepped out of the bathroom.

"Fine," she grumbled, trailing behind me.

I ran up to Koga, happy energy returned. I was surprised when his arms folded around my body in a hug. I grinned up at him, fully prepared to thank him ten times over for coming up with this whole idea. I glanced over at Inuyasha, who was currently whispering something into Kikyo's ear.

Whatever.

I knew he could see us.

I also knew that he was bothered.

_I declare Plan J a __success! Sort of._

* * *

We all ended up stopping for ice cream on the way home. Inuyasha was back to ignoring me again, but I knew our conversation was still unfinished. So he'd have to talk to me again at some point.

As Koga walked me up the steps to my house I told him about Inuyasha's interpretation of our earlier 'argument.'

"Really? That's hilarious!" He paused for a second and recalled the conversation. "If you really think about it, it would sound pretty perverted to someone who had no idea what we were talking about."

"Speaking of which," Koga added cockily. "I think you still owe me a case of Dr. Pepper."

"I refuse to buy a case of Dr. Pepper when it was so obviously _your_ fault that I drank that many anyway!"

"Okay, fine then…You can pay me back in a different way."

My guard automatically went up. "And how is that?"

"You have to wear whatever I pick out for the concert."

I breathed easily again. My thoughts had been heading in a completely different direction.

"Ok," I complied. "I'm cool with that."

Koga held out his hand, the corner of his lips turned up.

"It's a deal then."

We shook on it.

* * *

I quietly crept up the stairs to my bedroom.

Now I just had to wait for Sango to return from dropping off Miroku.

_Life is good… _I thought as I slipped into my PJs and curled up onto my bed.

Sango snuck into my room minutes later, a strange expression on her face.

"What's up with that weird face?" I asked.

She turned and looked at me, almost like she was seeing through me.

"Uh…Sango? Did something happen when you took Miroku home?"

At the mention of his name her eyes cleared.

"That jerk!" she hissed.

"Huh?"

"That jerk kissed me!"

_Thanks a lot, Miroku...Now it's going to take all night to calm her down._

-End—

* * *

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-_RedThread_


	11. A Late Invitation

Thanks to everybody who reviewed! Reading your reviews makes me smile. :)

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Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha…darn.

* * *

Chapter 11: A Late Invitation

-Start—

I patted the bed, offering Sango a seat. She ignored my gesture and started pacing around the room.

"I mean honestly! Who the hell does he think he is, kissing a girl without her permission?" Sango growled. I leaned forward eagerly.

"So what did you do when he kissed you?"

Sango froze and her furious eyes met mine across the room. Her cheeks were slowly becoming red. "Well, what was I supposed to do?" she questioned. "I just… sort of, kissed him back," she finished in a small voice.

"What! You didn't push him away?" I exclaimed. "You secretly liked it, didn't you?"

Sango's voice grew stronger, and she clenched her hands in defiance. "Did not! Sure, I kissed him back…but right after that I slapped him and took off running."

I burst out laughing. "You slapped him and took off running?" I clutched my side. "Why, Sango?"

Her hands shot down to her sides and balled into fists. "Well, _sorry_ I'm not as _experienced _as you."

I stopped laughing. "What are you talking about?"

"You and Koga in the theater. You guys were all over each other."

It was my turn to blush. "Um…actually, we didn't really kiss. We just wanted it to _look _like we were…you know, for jealousy purposes."

Sango's eyes widened. "Are you serious? He didn't, like, force one on you?"

I frowned. "Not all guys are inconsiderate like Miroku. Koga knows I haven't been kissed yet. In fact, I think he knows I'm saving my first kiss for Inuyasha."

I leaned back on a pillow and continued to talk while Sango changed into a pair of pajama pants and a large T- shirt. "So it was that convincing?"

When she was finished she walked over and slumped down next to me. "You had me fooled. Did you hear Inuyasha nearly choke on his drink when he saw you?"

I couldn't help but grin at the memory. "Sure did." We looked at each other for a second, and then burst into giggles.

There was a loud thump from the wall across the room; the wall Mama was sleeping on the other side of.

"Crap! Sango, we've got to be quiet. I think we woke Mama." I listened carefully for any more warning bangs from the next room. My eyes shifted over to the digital clock that sat on my bedside table and I mentally cringed. It was already 2:00 in the morning. No wonder Mama was banging on the wall.

Sango and I settled into my bed, whispering quietly about people at school, and who was going out with who, and how the cafeteria food was toxic.

"Seriously…I don't see how Miroku can eat that crap. He shovels it down like it's the best thing he's ever tasted," Sango criticized. My eyes narrowed suspiciously at the mention of Miroku's name. I'd bet anything she hadn't stopped thinking about him since he'd kissed her.

"So, Sango. What are you going to do when you see him?"

"Miroku?"

I nodded.

"Ignore him," she answered promptly.

I snorted. "You like him, don't you? Admit it…"

She sat up suddenly, dragging the covers with her. "Are you kidding? He's a friggin' lecher that feels up any girl unfortunate enough to come within 10 feet of him!"

"Ok, ok!" I whispered frantically. "Just…keep your voice low."

Sango lowered herself back down next to me, yanking the cover back over us, and then reached out to flick off the light. We lay silently in the dark for a couple of minutes.

"I don't like him."

I smiled into the darkness and then rolled over.

"Whatever you say Sango."

* * *

"You've got to be joking," I complained loudly, slamming open the dressing room door.

"Here. This goes with it."

I glared at the long red cloak that was draped over Koga's arm before reaching out to snatch it away from him. I slid the smooth velvety material over my shoulders and fastened the clasp at the base of my neck.

I stared at myself in the full length mirror that adorned the back wall of the tiny dressing room, and rolled my eyes. "I look like Little Red Riding Hood."

"Yeah. That's sort of the point," Koga commented flatly.

But this was _definitely_ not a costume the fairy-tale girl ever wore. _My mom would kill me if she saw me in this..._

The short red miniskirt barely reached mid-thigh, and I tugged at it self consciously as my eyes moved upward, traveling over the tight, black bodice that laced all the way up my front. The costume was strapless and left little to the imagination as far as cleavage was concerned. It was also completely studded in black sequins. Every movement under the lights made the bodice sparkle.

_At least the cloak covers up the back._

I turned, craning my neck to see what I looked like from behind. The cape fell down in a long swoop, nearly touching the floor, and a long pointed hood trailed along after it.

Koga pulled the hood over my head, shrouding my face in darkness. His reflection grinned at me in the mirror, fangs flashing brilliantly. "Not bad, huh?"

I frowned back at him. "Yes, it is! I can't wear this, Koga. I look ridiculous!"

Koga rolled his cobalt eyes. "Everyone is going to have a costume, Kagome. It's the weekend before Halloween."

Halloween had fallen on a Wednesday this year, so that meant the older age group would be celebrating the weekend _before_ the actual holiday.

"And besides," Koga continued, "the Little Red Riding Hood theme is perfect."

"So what," I said, turning, "are you going to be dressed as?"

I was facing him now, both of us crammed into the small dressing room. We were close enough that I could see the tiny black flecks scattered within his blue eyes.

"Guess," he breathed.

My chest was nearly pressed against his, and I could feel his body heat radiating across my bare skin. The air between us thickened and his eyes grew dark.

_This is dangerous._

I breathed out.

"A wolf," I said. "How fitting. Do you even need a costume?" The heated moment passed and the atmosphere returned to normal. Koga grinned and stepped into the hallway.

"Of course!"

I stood in the doorway with my hands on my hips. "Good. If I have to wear one then so do you."

A sly grin lit up his face. "So you're going to wear it?"

I glanced down at the ridiculous costume I had on, and sighed in defeat. "You'd force me to anyway."

"Yes!" He said, jabbing his hand in the air. "Consider your Dr. Pepper debt repaid!"

"Yeah…a debt I never owed in the first place," I mumbled as I closed the dressing room door behind me. I slipped out of the costume and back into my own worn out jeans and faded hoodie. To say I was surprised when Koga had shown up at my house right at noon was an understatement. I'd had just enough time to throw on some clothes and say good-bye to Sango before he was practically hauling me down the shrine stairs and directly to the mall.

_I wonder if Sango finds it a bit suspicious that I'm hanging out with Koga so much. _Even though I had explained last night's kiss she probably still suspected that something was going on between us.

I buttoned my pants and gathered up the costume, faintly wondering how I was going to hide it when I got home.

"Hurry up," Koga ordered. "We have to find some shoes too."

I followed Koga's voice and found him just outside the little dressing room area. "Shoes?" I asked. "What kind of shoes do you think I'm going to be wearing with this thing?"

"I was having visions of you in tall, black leather boots," he said, squinting his eyes as though it would help him see his vision better.

"Do you _want_ to kill me?"

"Oh, come on. They can't be that hard to walk in."

Koga finished paying (seeing as I hadn't brought any money with me) and we headed out into the main part of the mall, blending in with the crowds of people. I winced as my stomach gave out a loud growl, and Koga changed our course towards the food court.

"I'll pay you back for the costume and food," I promised as we sat down at an empty table.

"It's fine," he replied easily, waving it off with his hand. He sat and watched for a moment as I practically inhaled my food. "So are you ready to sing next weekend?"

I washed my chicken tenders down with a long gulp of my drink and then raised my eyes to meet his. "As ready as I'll ever be, I guess."

"Good," he said, "because Naraku is expecting a lot out of us, and it's not the best idea to disappoint him."

"What happens if he's disappointed?"

"Bad things," Koga said cryptically. He turned his head away and stared off into the mass of people that were streaming past our table. I raised my eyebrows at his tone of voice, getting the idea that _maybe_ it wasn't best to pursue the subject. I continued eating in silence, both of us lost in our own thoughts.

"Ready?" I asked as I stood and dumped my trash in the trashcan. Koga snapped back to reality and looked up.

"Yup, let's go.

We made our way to a nearby shoe store and I spent the rest of the day trying on different shoes that Koga brought to me. We both finally found a pair that we agreed on. They were black boots that went all the way up to just above my knees. I liked them because they covered up most of my leg. Koga liked them because quote on quote, "They're sexy."

We finished paying and Koga grabbed my packages, leading us out of the mall to the outside world. I stared at the last little sliver of sun that still peeked above the horizon. It was only 7p.m., but the sun was already disappearing.

"It'll be Christmas before you know it," Koga commented. Winter _was _coming fast.

"Ugh," I complained. "And with Christmas comes shopping. I absolutely _detest_ Christmas shopping."

Koga laughed. "It's not so bad if you shop at the right _time. _Christmas _Eve_ is not the right time, Kagome."

I ducked my head guiltily. "Not my fault. I'm a born procrastinator. It can't be helped that I leave everything until the last minute."

"How is it that you manage to do so well in school?"

I shrugged my shoulders, wondering myself. "Beats me. But whatever I'm doing, it's working."

"Must be luck."

By now we had reached the four way stop that was located near the grocery store. I stared at the store, remembering a different day; the day Kikyo had been walking in.

"Kagome? What is it?"

I snapped my head back to Koga and grinned sheepishly.

"I was daydreaming. Sorry."

By the time we arrived at my house it was dark, the only light that of the street lamps and the occasional car.

"I'll keep these packages at my house until next weekend," Koga said. "You'll have to come down there to change though."

"Thanks. I actually had fun today," I admitted. "Shopping is usually a chore for me."

"That's only because you're secretly excited about wearing your costume on stage."

"Am not!" I denied. Koga just shook his head and started down the street toward his house.

"Liar."

* * *

I walked into class- on time, might I add- and sat down at my desk. Koga was nowhere to be found so I settled back in my chair and waited.

With nothing else to do, I started humming one of the songs I would be singing on stage in just 5 short days. I muttered the words under my breath, letting my mouth get used to saying them.

Kikyo and Inuyasha walked loudly through the door a few minutes later, and I instantly quit singing. They quieted down as they neared my desk, and I shifted my eyes to the opposite side of the room.

"Hey, Kagome."

Kikyo stood at the end of my desk, Inuyasha hovering just behind her.

"Saturday was fun, wasn't it?" she asked with a tilt of her head. "We should definitely all get together like that more often."

A tight smile formed on my face. "Sure, why not?" And to my surprise, I found that I was actually telling the truth. I _did _have fun that night, and I _did _want to do it again. Kikyo reached back and grabbed Inuyasha's hand, allowing him a brief 'Good morning' before leading him to their desks in the rear of the room.

"See ya," I said weakly, realizing that I was talking to empty air. My chair hit the desk behind me as I leaned back, and I silently brushed off the fact that Inuyasha was being a total jerk.

"What's up, Kagome?"

I tilted my head back to see who was talking to me. "Miroku! Is that?"

"Yes," he wistfully rubbed the bandage that covered his cheek. "Sango slapped me kind of hard." I straightened in my seat and turned to look at him, getting a better view of the giant bandage that was firmly attached to the side of his face.

"Did she break the skin?" I whispered, slightly shocked that the damage was severe enough to require a bandage.

Miroku's eyes twinkled. "Nope. She just left an oddly shaped bruise that looks suspiciously like a hand."

My sympathy disappeared. "So why do you need a bandage?"

He shrugged. "Maybe Sango will feel bad and give me a kiss to make up for it."

_Fat chance._

"Good luck with that," I said out loud.

"So," Miroku slid into the desk next to mine, "sorry for being blunt, but, what's with you and Inuyasha?"

I heaved a sigh and l looked down at my nails. "Honestly, I don't know. He's being stupid and purposely ignoring me. But then, maybe I only _think_ he's ignoring me on purpose." I shifted and settled by cheek on my upraised hand. "He's probably just too busy with _Kikyo _seeing as he's always with her now. I barely even get a 'Hello' anymore." I looked back up at Miroku. "You wouldn't happen to know the real reason he's ignoring me, would you?" I asked.

Miroku held his hands up innocently. "Hey, I'm the one asking you, remember?"

I smiled at his expression. "I guess you were, weren't you? Sorry for babbling."

He lowered his hands and signaled me to lean in close. I did, albeit hesitantly. I had to be on my guard in case he tried to cop a feel or something.

He ignored my slow reaction and cupped a hand around his mouth. "Just to let you know, Kagome," he whispered, "I'm on your side." I stared as he stood up and made a path back to his desk.

_And just what does **that** mean?_

My thoughts scattered as a flustered Koga flew into the room and ran straight to his seat. I quickly realized why he was in such a hurry when the teacher walked in, practically on the wolf demon's heels. I rolled my eyes.

_Nearly late **again** I see._

Mr. Mitsu sent Koga a dirty look that seemed to say: _One day Ookami…one day. Just you wait…_

Koga smirked and called out a hearty _"Here!"_ when Mr. Mitsu reached his name on the attendance sheet, earning himself another dirty look. The frustrated teacher cleared his throat and pushed the attendance form aside before walking around to the front of his desk. Mr. Mitsu leaned against it and prepared to tell us about today's assignment.

"Today," he began, "we will be working on a one day, in-class project." Everyone groaned. "And," he continued, an almost evil lilt to his voice, "I'll be assigning partners."

The class erupted into yells of protest, and even I was forcing myself to swallow down the cry of complaint that had lodged in my throat. _Assigning partners? He's never done this before. _Mr. Mitsu ignored the infuriated shouts and twisted back briefly to grab the attendance sheet. "That's right," he said, "and I'll be doing it alphabetically too."

There was a moment of silence as everyone tried to think of their ideal partner's last name. _Hmm…Inuyasha Taisho. Nope, nowhere even near Higurashi. Ok, second choice is Ookami. Crap! That's nowhere near my last name either! _

"Abe and Aichi," Mr. Mitsu called.

"Chantou, Dono."

I glanced around as people started moving to get with their assigned partners. _Let's see. Hmm, no her last name starts with an F, and his starts with a K._

"Futari, Hayashi."

_Mr. Mitsu should be calling my name next. I should be with—wait…NO! NoNoNoNo!...that puts me with—_

"Higurashi, Hinode."

_…Kikyo…_

Koga snickered as I stood up. "Hmpf," I seethed, "can't wait to see who _you're_ paired with."

"Ha! It can't possibly be any worse than yours."

"We'll see."

I stalked to the back of the room and drug an abandoned desk over to Kikyo's. _T__his should be fun,_ I thought sarcastically. She looked about as pleased as I did. Mr. Mitsu's voiced droned on as he called out the rest of the partner pairs. I listened carefully when he reached Koga's.

"Ookami, Taisho."

Koga exploded. "What? No way! Sagara and Sakamoto come between Ookami and Taisho!"

"Well Koga, if you would use your eyes and take a glance around the room, perhaps you would notice that both of them are absent."

Koga searched the room carefully, as if waiting for both of the missing people to jump out and say 'Surprise! We've been here all along!'. Inuyasha growled and stood up. "I'm not any happier about this than you are, but I guess I'm going to have to bear it."

"Good attitude, Inuyasha. Now come up here and join Mr. Ookami, if you would please."

He silently stood up and walked down the row until he reached my original desk, and then, without even scooting it closer to Koga's, he thudded into it. Koga's eyes met mine.

"Kagome. You've officially proved me wrong."

_Geez…What were the odds of it working out like this?_

After making sure that everybody was paired up with their correct partner, Mr. Mitsu began his explanation of the project. I listened carefully, not sure if Kikyo was the type of person who listened to directions or not. The last thing I needed was to fail a project because _neither_ of us was listening.

"Alright then. Get started." Mr. Mitsu was smiling like today was the best day of his life. I'd been in his class for nearly 3 months and I still couldn't decide whether I liked the guy or not.

Kikyo and I worked in silence. Every few seconds I'd catch myself glancing up to see how Inuyasha and Koga were doing. At least Inuyasha had scooted the desk over. He and Koga looked like they were in the middle of an intense conversation, and I cursed my dull hearing abilities. I _really_ wanted to know what they were talking about.

"Kagome."

I swiveled my head to the side. "Yeah?"

Kikyo put her pencil down and propped her elbow up on the desktop, her chin resting on her hand. "Are you coming to the costume party next weekend?"

I stared at her blankly. "Uh. What costume party?"

"Inuyasha didn't tell you?"

"Nope."

"And he's the one throwing it too. I thought he would have definitely told you, seeing as you guys are so close and all."

"It must have slipped his mind," I said casually, trying to act like it didn't bother me. At all.

"Well," Kikyo continued, "the party is at his house next weekend. Which is the weekend _after_ Halloween. Everyone's invited, and you have to be in a costume to get through the door."

I looked away from Kikyo and stared at Inuyasha's back. "Sounds fun," _and like a great opportunity for Plan J._

"So you'll come?" she asked sweetly.

I smiled back. "I'll be there…"

She picked up her pencil and started writing again, and I did the same.

"Oh, by the way, you have to have a date too."

"Don't worry. I will."

And I already had the _perfect _costume.

-End—

* * *

Whew! It looks like Kagome's got a busy schedule ahead of her…a concert this upcoming weekend and a costume party the next…

I'll see if I can squeeze them both into the next chapter… :)

**By the way**…I'm thinking about adding Inuyasha's point of view into the story…not sure if I should though…tell me what you guys think…Should I, or Should I Not?

Read N Review please!

Thanx!

_-RedThread_


	12. I'm Starting to Have Second Thoughts

Ok…I know mostly everyone who left a review wanted me to go ahead and add Inuyasha's point of view… but somehow I just can't bring myself to do that. I've come so far with Kagome that it would feel weird to just throw Inuyasha in there. Ya know what I'm saying?

Good.

Ok, then. On with the story.

:)

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha…duh.

* * *

Chapter 12: I'm Having Second Thoughts

-Start—

I let out a deep breath as I plodded down the stairs and into the kitchen where Momma was cooking. _Ok…you've got your story made up, now you just need to tell it. _The weight of my duffle bag wasn't the only thing making my shoulders sag; it was also guilt.

I'd never told my mother a lie as big as the one that was about to come out of my mouth, and I was scared to death. She stood across the room against a counter, busily chopping tomatoes, and I found myself praying I wouldn't lose my cool just because she was holding a rather large and dangerous looking knife.

_Ok Kagome…just don't look shifty, act natural._

"Kagome, you're looking a little suspicious standing over there with that bag flung over your shoulder."

_Dangit…I've already been discovered…_ I met my mother's gaze, trying to hide my anxiousness.

"What's on your mind?" she wondered as I smiled cheerfully and tried to make my face look more innocent.

"Nothing. Really! I-I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to spend the night at Sango's tonight." Momma paused in her chopping once again to gaze at me.

"You must have Halloween plans with her…"

"No!" I answered quickly. "That is, I mean, that's _next _weekend Momma. This weekend, we're um…designing our costumes. You have to be wearing one to get into the party you know." I giggled nervously and Momma sent me a strange look before turning back to her tomatoes.

"Have fun…and make sure your cell phone is charged so I can get in touch with you if I have to."

I nodded and quickly made my escape, letting the door slam behind me as I took the shrine steps two at a time.

_Now…I just hope Sango doesn't blow my cover by accidentally saying something and getting Momma all worried. I guess I need to call her…_

Great.

I'd have to make up _another_ story to keep _Sango_ from saying anything to Momma so _Momma_ wouldn't know what I was _really doing._

Just Great.

* * *

"Okay, bye."

I flipped my phone shut and took a deep breath. _Phew…that's settled. Now I can focus on the concert. _I'd just talked to Sango and managed to tell her something along the lines of: I had a fight with Momma and I'm running away, no not really, just to prove a point. That's right, if she calls your house just make her think I'm over there…and yeah, if she says she wants to talk to me, tell her I'm 'busy'.

Thankfully Sango hadn't asked too many questions about _why_ I was having her do that…

Now I could only hope and pray that everything would go smoothly and I wouldn't get tangled in the web of lies I was creating.

I darted into Koga's garage and proceeded to bang on the garage door until a bleary eyed wolf demon pulled it open. "Koga? You look like you just woke up…"

"I did," he yawned back at me.

I shook my head and pushed past him into the small hallway that led to his room; I'd been in his house a couple of times since band practice had started and knew exactly where his room and the nearest bathroom were located. "Uh…you do realize that we have about 2 hours before show time right?"

"And your point is?"

"Well we've still got to get ready _plus _it takes about 30-45 minutes (all depends on the traffic) to get there…say, are Hakkaku and Ginta coming over here to get ready or what?"

Koga just stared at me sleepily, obviously not taking in anything I was saying.

"You're hopeless," I sighed. Geez…just how did this guy expect to impress a bunch of talent scouts if he was late to his very first gig? I grabbed Koga's hand and pulled him into his room. "Okay, where did you put my costume?"

He scratched the back of his head and glanced around his small bedroom. "That's a good question."

"Don't tell me you lost it…"

"Maybe I put it under my bed…," he mumbled tiredly.

"Koga, you need to WAKE UP!"

"Sure, sure," he waved as he slumped onto his bed. I glared as he rolled over onto his back in a lazy manner causing his long black hair to splay across a pillow. He slung a bronze arm across his eyes and for all the world acted like I wasn't even there. _Grr…I hate to do this, but…it looks like I'm going to have to turn on the feminine charm …_

"Oh Koga…," I drew his name out, trying to sound tantalizing, but his response was only a muffled grunt. I frowned and checked the time on his digital clock; it was 6:30…we had less time than I'd thought. _Desperate times call for desperate measures… who sleeps at this time of day anyway?_

I slunk onto his bed, making it squeak from our combined weight. _Man, I can't believe I'm about to do this…_ I slung a leg over his waist and leaned over his chest, my hands on either side of his face. When I looked down I was staring into a wide pair of blue eyes. "Are you awake now?" I asked softly.

He gulped. "Very much so."

I stared at him a moment longer before leaning back to sit on his stomach. "Good," I said cheerily, an underlying note of satisfaction in my voice. Koga groaned as I slid off his waist and I smiled over at him innocently. "Think you can remember where my costume is now?"

He sat up slowly and pointed at his desk chair. I pulled the chair back and felt my body sag in relief as I spotted the little bag of clothes and the shoe box that contained my boots. "Ok then, I'm going to the bathroom to get dressed…"

"Maybe that would be best," Koga mumbled. I glanced back from the doorway to stare at him. His face was stained with red, and I could feel my own face turn hot when I noticed the bulky blanket that he had inconspicuously tossed across his lower half.

I slammed the door and rushed to the bathroom, hoping my face hadn't turned a permanent shade of crimson.

* * *

When I was finished changing, I slowly wandered back to Koga's room, trying to think of something to say. After what had happened earlier the atmosphere was bound to be awkward. But when I reached his door I was surprised to hear a few extra voices.

_It must be Hakkaku and Ginta…._ A relieved smile split my face. _I'm saved._

I reached out and turned the doorknob and let the door swing open.

The voices stopped.

I looked around the room, confused about the dead silence.

"Koga, would you be so kind as to introduce me to your lady friend?"

"That's Kagome, you idiot."

Oh yeah. The costume.

I pulled the long hood off my head, letting everyone see my face better.

"Ah! So it is!"

Ginta and Hakkaku began circling around me, both chattering at the same time about how different I looked.

I smiled weakly at their comments and pulled on my skirt. My eyes met the hot gaze of Koga's. "Wh- what?"

"Nothing," he smirked, "it's just that those boots go really well with the outfit…"

Speaking of outfits… "Is that _your _costume?"

"Yup."

My eyes travelled from the wolf demon's black/grey breast plate and furry brown loincloth all the way down to his legs, which were covered in what looked like furry brown legwarmers. "You're not wearing shoes?" His feet were wrapped in white cloth. "Won't your feet get cold?"

"C'mon Kagome…I'm a demon remember?"

I looked at his adorably pointed ears (which were accented by his signature brown headband) and wondered how I could forget. "Right."

"Let's go you guys…I left the car running out front…we're going to have to book it now to get there on time," Ginta said.

My eyes flitted over to the clock. "7:20! We have to be there at 8:00! Hurry! Hurry!" I swept the wolf demons out of the room and into the hallway, and then, with a swish of my cloak, led them out into the night.

* * *

Aw man…I was really having second thoughts about this…

Koga and the rest of the band were still setting up their instruments and checking out the sound system. Thankfully we'd arrived with enough time to do this. (I'd never taken the words 'speed demon' literally until I'd ridden with one. Ginta was an insanely fast driver.)

I rested my hand on the black curtain that separated the stage from the rest of the room and sucked in a deep breath. _It sounds like a lot of people are here… _My hand slid down the silky cloth and I backed away from the noise of all the loud voices that were just on the other side.

"Here Kagome. Drink this, it'll calm you down."

I stared down at the cup Koga was holding out to me. "Is that beer?"

"Yeah…"

"I'm not drinking that."

"Oh come on Kagome…I'm not saying you have to chug it. Just take a sip. I swear it'll make you feel better."

I stared at the red plastic cup with distrust. I'd never drank alcohol before…I didn't know how my body and mind would react. _But…_ A particularly loud swell of noise came from the other side of the curtain and I grabbed the cup. I needed all the calming down I could get.

I took a tentative sip of the amber liquid and smacked my lips at the foreign taste. "It tastes bad…"

"But you'll get used to it after a while," Koga assured me.

"Just how long do you expect me to drink this stuff, huh?"

Koga tipped the bottom of the cup, drowning out my complaints as I was forced to gulp the drink down. "Kagome…relax." I coughed as the cup was pulled away from my face, wondering exactly how much of that stuff I'd just been forced to drink. _But... I __**am**__ feeling a bit less tense…_

"That a girl," Koga said as he patted my back, "now go stand at the mic…they'll start the countdown in a few minutes." I stared at his back as he walked away, his tail gently swaying behind him. _Jerk. Forcing me to drink that much beer… _I raised a finger to my chin._ Hmm, but he's right. That stuff doesn't taste half bad after a few gulps._

"Hey Miss."

I turned to look at the announcer who was waving frantically at me, and carefully picked my way over to see what he wanted. "Can you tell me the name of the band so I can announce it?"

My eyebrows furrowed together… _Do we even have a band name? _"One moment please. I need to go speak with the band leader." I rushed off to find Koga and the others.

"Hey you guys…what's the name of the band?" They all three straightened up from the drum set they were currently leaning over and stared at me blankly. "You…do have a band name right?"

"Eh…well. No, not really," Koga said sheepishly.

"Are you serious! Just what were you going to say if a talent scout asked for the name of your band? And more importantly what did you expect the announcer to say! Huh!"

"I think you've got your priorities mixed u—"

"Shut it Hakkaku. This is serious. You three need to think of something fast."

Hakkaku ignored me and leaned over to Ginta. "You know, sometimes Kagome has this scary will to kill doesn't she?"

"I like it…"

"Huh?" We all looked at Koga.

"Our name shall be 'The Will to Kill'."

"The Will to Kill?" I asked critically.

"Well its better than The Band of Four…which was what I was originally thinking. But that name really only works if it's, like, The Band of Seven or something. I'd also considered Your Worst Nightmare…Isn't that awesome? We could get on stage and be like: 'We're Your Worst Nightmare!'"

"Ok then…," I interrupted, "I'm going to tell the announcer to announce us as 'The Will to Kill'. You guys _are _ready right?" The countdown had started. We had less than 2 minutes. Koga slung my hood over my head and pushed me toward the impatient announcer.

"Yeah, yeah. We're ready. Now get up there and make sure _you're_ ready."

My boots clacked as I made my way toward the irritated man who was now tapping his foot on the floor. "Well…what's your band name?"

Less than 1 minute.

"We are 'The Will to Kill'"

"The Will to Kill?"

I shrugged. "I know right...That's exactly what I said…"

The man arched an eyebrow that seemed to say _What the heck? Did you guys come up with that in, like 10 seconds?_

He shook his head and then disappeared through a slit in the curtain. Seconds later I heard our band name reverberating across the room. Cheers wound up and the announcer reappeared on our side of the curtain.

"You're on in 10 seconds. Good luck."

Aw man…I was _really_ having second thoughts about this…

I stood at the mic, my cloak fanning out behind me and my hands on my hips. My stance clearly said 'I am on a mission.'

The curtain opened.

* * *

After getting over my initial 'stage fright', it turned out that singing for a band at a bar was pretty dang fun. By the fourth song I was acting just as crazy as everybody else. The crowd in front of me was a roiling mass of costumed people who probably still would have danced even if the music was bad….

I let myself relax and become a different Kagome… a Kagome that didn't stress over school or her pathetic love life. I was simply a girl who was out to have a good time. My body moved of its own accord, blending in perfectly with the beat of the music so that I was sway dancing (sway dancing: halfway between swaying and dancing [Yes, it's a technique I created myself].

I sway danced over to Koga and grinned at him as his guitar played in perfect harmony with my voice. I reached a high pitch in the song and performed it perfectly, causing my smile to widen even further.

_Ha…I wonder what Inuyasha would think if he could see me now…He'd probably yank me off the stage and cover my eyes…_

Because yes, some of the costumes that people had on were _very_ explicit_._

_And I thought mine was bad…._

We'd reached the end of our 6th and last song, and as the strums of the guitar died, the crowd immediately began yelling for more. So we gave it to them.

By the time we were finally led backstage my throat was parched. I needed a drink. Koga thrust another red plastic cup into my hand and I eyed it warily. "This _is_ just water, right?" I croaked. Oh boy. I'd probably be completely voiceless by Monday.

"Yeah, it's just water this time. But hey, I'll run get ya a beer if you want me too…"

I stuck my tongue out at him before greedily pouring the water down my throat. I smacked my lips together in appreciation, "Ah…so now what do we do?"

"_I'm _going to mingle with the crowd…see if I get grabbed by any talent scouts. _You_ can go rest on a couch or something…you look like your feet are killing you."

They were.

I took Koga's advice and found myself flopped back on black leather couch that sat on the wall nearest to the stage. Man was I tired. It had to be at least midnight by now…

A few minutes later Ginta joined me and soon after that Hakkaku. Koga materialized out of the crowd a little later, and I laughed at the crowd of women that were following him. He nudged his way between Ginta and I and placed an arm around my shoulders. "Sorry ladies, but I'm taken." The crowd of women slowly dispersed when they realized that I wasn't going to push his arm away, and Koga sagged with relief.

"Gah, I thought I'd never get rid of them…"

"Ha! I guess you're just not used to getting this much attention from the opposite sex," I teased. He immediately got defensive, but didn't move the arm that was lazily draped across my shoulders.

"Please Kagome, I'm a professional player. Me and Miroku are about on the same level…"

"Pfft…Miroku's on a whole different _world_ as far as that goes…"

"Please look this way!" The four of us sitting on the couch immediately glanced toward the voice that was beckoning our attention… and we were all promptly blinded by the flash of about 10 cameras.

"Is this the first performance of 'The Will to Kill?" "I've been informed that you wrote your songs. What was your inspiration?" "What record company are you signed with?" "Do you have a sponsor?" "What is each of your names?" "Sir, do you have time for a short interview?"

I slowly turned my head so that my mouth was right at Koga's ear. "Who are these people? Surely they're not talent scouts."

Koga shook his head minutely.

"Paparazzi."

His eyes met mine and then Ginta and Hakkaku's. "Kagome, we've got to get you out of here. If they manage to snap a decent picture of us and slap it on the cover of some magazine, then you're screwed."

He was right. How he knew that I hadn't told my Momma or anyone else about the whole band thing, I didn't know. But I was grateful when he tugged my hood lower over my head, shrouding my face in shadows. "We're going to make a run for it," he whispered. "Can you see where you're going?" I gave a nearly imperceptive nod of my head and felt Koga's arm slide away from my shoulders, a sign that he understood. "Grab my hand."

And then we were breaking through the ring of reporters and dashing down the hallway that led out back, Ginta and Hakkaku right behind us. Luckily we had already loaded everything into Ginta's car so all we had to do was pile in.

With Ginta driving, we were probably already halfway home by the time the paparazzi had even noticed we were gone.

* * *

"Well I definitely wasn't expecting _that_ kind of reaction."

We were all (safely) back at Koga's house and now we were lounging in his room. I had changed back into my original clothes and was currently sipping on a Dr. Pepper, thinking about everything that had happened. _Is Naraku pleased? Koga's always said that bad things would happen if he wasn't… And what if my face __**does**__ show up on a magazine cover. Hopefully all those reporters were from small, unpopular magazines…_

"Yo. Kagome? Are you spending the night here?"

I was drawn out of my worried thoughts and then thrust into new ones. _Had Momma found out I wasn't at Sango's? Do I have to stay at Koga's tonight? What time is it? _My eyes found the glowing digital clock; it was 2:00 a.m.

I was definitely staying over here.

"I call the bed!" I announced.

-End—

* * *

Next chapter will definitely have the costume party.

:D

I got 13 reviews on the last chapter, so let's see if Chapter 12 can beat it!

Read- N-Review!

Thanx,

-_RedThread _


	13. The Costume Party Part 1

Ok…the long awaited chapter that includes the costume party has finally arrived!

Enjoy!

And please Read N Review. :D

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha…duh.

* * *

Chapter 13: Arrival to the Costume Party: Let the Games Begin

-Start—

This week had seemed never ending, especially with all the tests and lectures Mr. Mitsu was forcing on us... but Friday had finally arrived, and not only my class, but the _whole school_ was practically buzzing with excitement. News of Inuyasha Taisho's costume party had spread like wild fire.

There were about 30 minutes left in the school day and our lazy teacher (probably due to all the strenuous work he'd piled on us) was pretty much letting the class do whatever it wanted. Most people had formed little groups around other students' desks, eagerly bending over some of the magazines Mr. Mitsu had passed out.

Koga, Ginta, and Hakkaku were all huddled around me, watching as I flipped the page in our copy of the publication. "I really don't get why this magazine is so popular...," I sighed, "there's really nothing interesting in it…"

We all stared down at the page with bored expressions, not really registering what we were looking at…until…

"Holy crap!"

"Shit, this isn't good…"

"What's so bad about it?…I think the picture turned out pretty well..."

Koga reached out and swiped Hakkaku across the head. "I wasn't talking about how well the damn picture turned out, you idiot." The frustrated wolf demon buried his face in his hand, "No wonder you and Ayame make such a good couple," he grumbled. "I was talking about the fact that practically everyone in the classroom is going to see it," Koga lifted his head, "not to mention a good portion of Tokyo."

"But isn't that a good thing?"

"Just shut up Hakkaku…"

I continued to stare blankly at the huge glossy picture that occupied half of the page. The four of us were squished on the black leather couch, Koga's arm lazily draped across my shoulders, and all of our faces clearly visible. Koga turned the magazine so he could read the article that was just below the large photo.

"Well…it doesn't look like they got our actual names…or where we're specifically from. So that means we're at least safe from the paparazzi."

My head snapped up as a collective gasp swept through a group of people who were gathered a few desks away. "Hey! Doesn't that look like—" "Yeah it does." "It couldn't really be Kagome could it?" "And look, Koga and those other two are with her…." "If it really is her, that is..." "Wanna find out?"

I felt my skin prickle as a pair of six eyes burned into my back. "Paparazzi aren't the only thing we need to fear…," I mumbled flatly.

"Good point…," Koga said, eyeing our classmates warily.

"No, I was actually talking about my mother…"

And then a sudden revelation hit me… _Crap! Inuyasha! He'll see it and then… What if he tells Momma? _

Of course, the thought that it was entirely possible for Momma to read the magazine and find out about my little secret all on her own, was one that never even entered my head. All I knew right then was that I had to stop Inuyasha from finding out at all costs. I scooted my chair back suddenly, making a hole in the small ring of people that had formed around us. I dodged questions and stares as I sprinted to the back of the room where Inuyasha, Kikyo, and Miroku sat.

My hand slammed down in the middle of the magazine and they all looked up at me in surprise. "Oh, Kagome. It's just you…," Kikyo peered up at me from her snug position next to Inuyasha, a hint of annoyance on her face. "What exactly are you doing? I was trying to look at that picture, which is really rather difficult with your hand on it."

I peeked down at the picture that was barely visible through my fingers. _Good…they're on the page before it. Now I just have to find a good reason to take the magazine from them…_

I could feel Inuyasha and Miroku giving me weird looks and I slowly drew my hand back from the magazine. "Right, well, I just wanted to show you which costume I thought was the cutest out of all of these…" I stared down at the pictures, noting that most of the costumes on the page consisted of dinosaurs and fairy tale characters. _Ok, so I'm not the best at improvising…C'mon Kagome think…If there isn't a way to take the magazine maybe I can just distract them until class ends. _I glanced up at the clock. _I have 20 minutes…_

"Costume?" Kikyo looked down to where I was pointing. "Oh, I must have turned to the wrong page. I meant to be one the one _after _this. The table of contents said something about a popular new band that's made up entirely of teenagers our age."

I could practically feel the color drain from my face. "Oh, really?"

"Yeah. I wanted to check them out and see what type of music they played."

_CrapCrapCrap…gotta think quick…._

"Oh _that_ band. I know which one you're talking about _now_," I paused. "The article sucked. Believe me. It's _definitely _not worth the 5 minutes it takes to read it…"

"I'll decide that for myself, thank you." Kikyo reached for the magazine and I made to draw it away from her, but we were both interrupted by Inuyasha.

"Oi…Kagome… What's with all the people surrounding your desk?"

I glanced behind me and realized that, in fact, the whole entire class had engulfed Koga, Ginta, and Hakkaku. "H-How should I know? _Anyways, _I would have to say that this costume is definitely my favorite… " I moved my finger to a random costume, praying my voice had sounded stronger to them than it did to me.

"The Little Red Riding Hood one?" Kikyo snorted. Inuyasha's attention was now directed towards the huge crowd of people that was just a few desks away from us. Miroku had gotten up some time ago and joined the crowd. But I wasn't worried about him…

I looked down and was surprised to find that I was indeed pointing at a small girl who was wearing a Little Red Riding Hood cloak and frilly apron. Not exactly what my costume looked like (the little girl's was a bit more modest), but it was close enough.

Kikyo's face twisted into a smirk. "I wouldn't put it past you to wear a 'nice-girl' outfit like that to a high school costume party. I'm anxious to see what you'll look like, Kagome …."

_Heh, just you wait Kikyo. I'm gonna make yours' (and Inuyasha's) jaw drop._

"There is absolutely nothing wrong with wearing a modest costume," I replied almost cheerily. "And mine is going to be the best one there."

"What the hell is this Kagome!"

_What the-? Ah crud._

My attention had slipped during my conversation with Kikyo, giving Inuyasha just enough time to sneak the magazine out from under us…

He slammed the magazine back onto the desk, and I found myself face to face with…well, with my face. My expression in the picture looked like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car, and the looks of the three wolf demons in the background were similar.

I cursed my luck and cautiously raised my eyes to meet the golden ones of my best friend…my very _angry_ best friend. "Remember that small favor I promised to help Koga with….," I began meekly.

"You joined a frickin' band! That's your _small _favor? And according to this article you performed at a well known underground _bar_ called 'Black Miasma'! Does your mom know about this?"

"No…not yet at least."

"Kagome you are _sooo_ screwed. See… I told you to stay away from that mangy wolf! He's a bad influence…"

I was getting mad. Inuyasha was reacting just as I had expected him to…but…I couldn't help the angry feelings that were bubbling up in my chest. I mean, what did he know? That night had actually been really fun, and one that I would most likely remember for the rest of my life. I scrunched my eyes shut in annoyance.

"Listen," I ground out, "I just need you to help me keep Momma from finding out, ok? For the sake of our friendship, please help me out..."

"Just look at him…he's got his arm around you like he owns you or something…"

My eyes snapped open. "Inuyasha! Are you even listening?"

The currently-human dog hanyou looked up from the magazine page and met my glare head on. "There's no way we can keep her from finding out, you know. It's impossible."

"I know," I sighed, "but at least help me keep the truth from her as long as possible, okay?" He stared at me a moment longer before shifting his gaze elsewhere.

"Keh…whatever."

Kikyo cleared her throat, reminding us that she was still sitting there. "So Kagome…if you're _really_ part of this band with Koga, why don't you honor us with a performance tomorrow night? I'm sure everyone would love it."

Was that a challenge? Sure sounded like one to me. "Why not," I replied with a smirk, "I didn't memorize all those lyrics for just that _one_ performance…"

I turned from Kikyo's critical stare and prepared to dig my way through the large crowd of excited students that were still around my desk. I needed to speak with Koga...

* * *

"Let's get a move on or the party will be _over _before we even get there. Look! We're already late!"

"Chill Kagome…Inuyasha's house is like a 5 minute walk from here. And besides, we're only going to be _fashionably_ late." Koga grinned and tugged on one of my pigtails. "And just _who_ exactly is the one that needs to get a move on? If I recall _you're_ the one who spent an hour in _my_ bathroom trying to perfect your hair and makeup."

I weakly swatted his hand away and grumbled half hearted threats under my breath. It was true that I had spent extra time exaggerating my makeup; I'd even used red eye shadow that had sparkles in it so that my eyes looked bolder. My long dark hair was carefully parted into two low ponytails, each one curled so that my tresses looked soft and alluring. "Well it was worth it…I certainly got a reaction out of you," I boasted cheekily.

Koga opened the garage door and led me through, watching my steps carefully, lest I should trip in my suicidal leather boots and break my neck. "I only reacted because it was obvious you wanted me to. I mean, _I'd_ be upset if_ I_ spent an hour on my appearance and then didn't even get one response…"

"Well," I countered, "seeing as you're the _only_ one who's seen me, it would be impossible to tell whether or not I get more than one response, now wouldn't it?"

Ginta and Hakkaku had already made their way up to the party with all of the band equipment so they could set it up before everyone arrived. Which had left me and Koga alone in the house…but I trusted him not to do anything perverted. When I had spent the night the other night, he'd willingly slept in the living room with the other two so I didn't feel uncomfortable.

"Good point," he growled.

I squinted into the darkness, glad that Koga had tucked my arm under his so I could steady myself. Already I could see lights flashing and hear the sound of music drifting through the night air. "Wow," I whispered as we drew near the huge house. The entire place had been transformed. Grotesque displays adorned the yard, cobwebs and creepy candles decorated the windows, bats and spiders floated from the roof of the front porch... Inuyasha's house was everything a haunted mansion should be.

_All thanks to Kikyo, I bet._

Koga pulled me past the displays and up to the doors, not even giving me enough time to be scared. But I eeped as the little green toad-like monster that was standing next to the doorway suddenly moved. He pulled the magnificent double doors open and quickly ushered us through.

"Koga—he—that thing-it _moved_!"

The wolf demon just laughed and pulled me through the dark hallway that led towards flickering lights and the sound of voices. I stared down the long staircase that led into the 'Great Hall' of the Taisho house, a strange feeling of excitement washing through me. It was almost like we were in a club. Flashing strobe lights, pounding music, the heavy smell of sweat and cologne…

_Not that I've ever actually __**been**__ in a club…. _

But hey, might as well start somewhere. This time I was the one pulling Koga. "What are you waiting for? Let's get this party started!"

He whooped and bounded down the long flight of stairs after me (it was a miracle I managed to make it to the bottom without tripping) and we soon found ourselves in the mists of seductive fairies and strikingly handsome demons. I peeked at the costumes of the people around me. Just a few feet to my left was a girl dressed in a low-cut blue dress that sparkled every time a strobe of light hit it; a pair of gossamer wings were attached to her back making her appearance even more ethereal. She danced slowly, her hips rolling in soft, smooth spins.

I watched as a tall guy with a long black cape slunk up behind the little fairy and started to move his body against hers, his eyes shining bright red from contacts. _Or is that natural? _I shivered and turned away from the odd couple.

I spotted angels, devils, pirates, maids, princes, school girls, ninjas, belly- dancers, fairies (they seemed to be popular), and was that…a monk? Koga had vanished from my line of vision and I turned in a circle trying to find him.

"Kagome! Look here! Over _here!"_

I spun around again, my long red cloak swirling with me. "_Sango?_ Is that you?" A path was cleared for me as I forced my way through the dancers to where Sango and the monk were standing. "Miroku? Are you trying to be ironic?" I looked him up and down. He was wearing purple (his favorite color) traditional monk garb. "You have to be the most un-monky guy I know," I yelled over the music. He grinned at me and rubbed the back of his neck.

"What is this un-monkyiness you speak of? Surely you don't mean me? I am the purest soul in the room…"

Sango and I both snorted. "Yeah right…" "As if…"

Miroku sent us a wounded expression. "Well it's not like you two are exactly a pair of Saints…" His eyes glinted dangerously as he looked us both up and down. I knew my costume was definitely un-saintly…but what did Sango have on?

I stepped back to get a good look at her. She was wearing a skintight black and pink outfit that was ripped in various places, the top of her cleavage showing through a particularly nasty one. Her hair was pulled back into a high ponytail. "So what exactly are you Sango?"

I watched her expression suddenly freeze, and then her jaw clench as she prepared to grit an answer to me. "A Monk Slayer."

I saw the quick flash of Miroku's hand as he hastily removed it from my friend's behind. "Is-is that so?" he said nervously. "By the way Kagome, you look great!" And then Miroku was scooting away from us (or more specifically Sango) as a quickly as he could. I laughed as she took off after him. _She definitely likes him…._

As soon as they disappeared all of the dancers around me began closing in and I could feel myself being jostled about. _Dangit…did I end up in the middle of the dance floor or something?_

I looked around, trying to find a familiar face in the huge crowd of people. I could feel the music pulsing through me and the heat of the air from the closeness of all the dancers. _Good thing I'm not claustrophobic…_ but I _was_ starting to panic a little. This wasn't like the night of the concert where I had danced on stage…I'd never been stuck in the middle of a bunch of sweaty people that were grinding and doing…_other _weird erotic movements with their body.

Suddenly a pair of hands settled on my hips and a voice drifted into my ears. "Kagome…you gotta move your hips like this…"

My heart sped up dangerously as I turned my head to glance at the person that was moving so closely behind me. The erratic beating of my heart settled down when I recognized Koga's familiar face and I blew out a sigh of relief. "Will you quit sneaking up on me like that? One these days I really _am_ going to get a heart attack…"

Koga threw his head back and let out a deep laugh. "The sight of me affects your heart beat that much?"

"No, it's the few seconds _before _I catch sight of you."

"Come on Kagome, loosen up and dance with me. You're so stiff and self-conscious."

I didn't reply to the subject change because I knew he was right… dancing just wasn't my forte.

"Here just do what I do."

I relaxed my body and allowed Koga's hands to guide me. My back pressed against his chest and our hips rolled together, keeping time with the thumping rhythm of the music.

"There ya go. Now turn around and face me," Koga coached over the loud music. I spun around and he grabbed my arms, looping them over his shoulders so that his long ponytail brushed against my fingertips. "Having fun yet?"

I danced against him. "Yes…"

Before long I lost track of time and just let my body have control. My movements became smoother and more natural with each song that played. It was like slipping out of a trance when Koga danced us out of the heavily populated area of the dance floor and into the less crowded fringes.

"I'm thirsty. Wait here and I'll go get us some drinks."

I nodded, too breathless to speak, and watched as he disappeared into the crowd of people again. _Geez…want a workout? Try dancing for 30 minutes straight…_ As I caught my breath, I took a good look around. The stage was set up on the wall opposite the giant staircase we had entered on, and I noted that all the band equipment was set up and waiting.

My thoughts shifted as I caught sight of a familiar pair dancing closely on the crowded dance floor. _Looks like Sango forgave him…._ Miroku's face was drawn tight as he moved his body against hers. _Or did she? Looks like she's torturing him…_

I waved as Koga reappeared through the mass of dancers. When it appeared that he was struggling to make it to me, I quickly ran over to take one of the cups from his hand. "Thanks," I panted as I chugged the drink greedily…which was probably a mistake. It didn't take me long to notice the peculiar smell that remained in at the bottom of the cup. "Just what exactly was that?"

Koga lowered his drink from his mouth and flashed his fangs at me in a wide smile. "Punch…"

"Uh huh…it was spiked wasn't it?"

"Probably…but hey, that's all there is to drink here, so I decided to take my chances."

I surprised us both by shrugging indifferently….I mean, I'd already drank the drink so what could I do? I could only pray that whatever was in that drink didn't affect my singing ability…or my remembering-the-lyrics ability.

"You're acting differently tonight…"

"You mean I'm actually acting like a teenager? Yeah, I know…It's about time right?"

Koga took my empty cup and stacked it with his own. "I like it… you're fun when you loosen up. You were like this the night of the concert too…"

"Was I really? It's probably because you had me drinking _beer_…"

The wolf demon snorted and started to walk away, probably to find a trash can. "You know you liked it…."

"Did not!" I answered quickly with a stern expression. After a few seconds my face split into a grin and I stomped off so Koga wouldn't see it. "I'm going to use the bathroom…"

"Okay…I'll meet you over there in a few minutes…" He walked off chuckling, continuing his quest for a trash can.

I stuck close to the wall and fought my way around the crammed room, trying not to disrupt the couples that had decided to take a break and were sitting together in tiny folding chairs. The small one person bathroom was currently occupied, so I stood outside of the door, patiently waiting my turn.

"Alright everybody! Are you guys ready to kick this party up a notch?" Everybody stopped moving and talking as the DJ's voice rose. "Let me hear ya make some noise if you're ready to play a game!"

I clamped my hands over my ears as the voices around me grew into a roar of excitement.

"Ok then….the game we are about to play is "Random Kiss", and yes it is just as the title says. You grab a random person and kiss them."

I wasn't liking the sound of this… The DJ was forced to stop speaking as everybody reacted to his explanation.

"But there is a catch," he started, as the swell of voices died back down. "You won't be able to see who you're kissing. All of the lights will be turned off for a full two minutes. That's when you grab the nearest body and begin kissing them… and yes, girls might end up with girls and guys with guys."

All of the guys started moving away from each other with nervous looks and the sound female giggling swept through the crowd.

"And then," the DJ said through his own laughter, "the lights will be cut back on and you will be able to see who your random kissing partner was…"

The whole party whooped and hollered in anticipation, but I was secretly praying whoever was in the bathroom would hurry the heck up. I had no intention of participating in this game. I'd managed to save my first kiss for 17 years and I was _not_ about to lose it to some random stranger. _And what if I ended up actually kissing some random girl? _I pounded on the door impatiently.

"Is everybody ready?" The noise grew. "OK then, the lights will go off in: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6,…"

_Crap! I've got to find a place to hide!_

"5, 4, 3…"

I pressed myself into the wall and eyed the people near me warily.

"2"

I pulled my hood over my head as a last resort…

"1!"

And then I couldn't see anything. The sound of squeals and the smacking of lips met my ears as I stood still, trying not to alert anyone of my presence. _At least a minute's passed by now…_ So far so good… nobody had grabbed me yet.

But it seems like that was where my luck ran out. Before the thought had even left my head a pair of hands found my shoulders and felt their way into my hood and up my neck…

…and I was absolutely frozen. My mind was blank.

I didn't move a muscle as the large pair of hands traced my facial features, lingering on my lips. An involuntary shiver raced down my spine as the mystery person's breath wafted across my face.

The person was taller than me. I could hear the rustle of clothing as he (I assumed [and hoped] it was a 'he') bent even closer to me. His hands made their way to the back of my skull and he gently tilted my head upwards.

I sucked in a breath and closed my eyes in despair, waiting for the moment when the stranger finally decided to steal my first kiss.

_Surely two minutes have passed by now… _I let out a frustrated groan…

…and apparently my captor took it the wrong way.

My heart nearly stopped beating as a soft growl met my ears and the hands that were gently cupping the back of my head suddenly became strong, making sure I wouldn't be able to turn away.

My groan was abruptly cut off as a pair of soft lips sealed over mine…

…and just like that, my first kiss was gone. And I didn't even know who had taken it…

-End—

* * *

Who is kissing Kagome? You'll have to stick around to find out!

Sorry for such a late update…I've got finals this week and I've been absolutely _loaded_ with end of the year projects…but after this week it's all over! I'm done! Finished! Free! [Until next August that is… :( ]

Read N Review Please!

By the way, last chapter (Ch. 12) beat Chapter 11's review count by one… Can Chapter 13 top Chapter 12?

Thanx Everybody!

:D

-_RedThread_


	14. The Costume Party Part 2

Ok…I have an excuse for such a late update….My new laptop (which I'm using to write this story) only had a _trial_ subscription of Microsoft Word installed on it...and it ran out, thus disabling all of the features the program has to offer. _Soooo_, I had to locate my mother's full time edition of Microsoft Word and install that on my computer and _then_ I was able to get this chapter written. Sorry guys!

Anyways…

**Beware…there is a bit of rough language in this chapter….**

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha…duh.

* * *

Chapter 14: The C.C.C.

-Start—

I'd always envisioned my first kiss as being absolutely perfect …and with a person I could actually _see._

But _nooooo…_Here I was in the _dark_ having the most _im_perfect first kiss ever with someone I could most definitely_ not_ see. Figures… nothing concerning my love life has ever gone according to plan.

_And it has definitely been way longer than 2 minutes… _

The pressure against my lips suddenly disappeared as the guy leaned away from me, and I opened my eyes, searching for his face…

…but the lights were still off.

My hands lifted and found his arms. I followed them up to his shoulders before twining my fingers through his long hair, this time making him _my_ prisoner. I was not about to let this guy walk away before the lights came on; I needed to know who he was.

But apparently this precaution was unneeded. He was so close I could practically feel him hovering right in front of my face, and it took me only a second to realize he was going to kiss me again. My eyes automatically squinched shut as his gentle lips connected with mine, over and over, almost as if he was tasting me.

I found my instincts urging me to kiss back (or maybe it was just that drink Koga had given me) and I had to force myself not to listen. _I refuse to respond to this guy…because that's just what he wants…stupid jerk…_

And besides that, I had absolutely no idea what to do. This was my first kiss after all. Or was it first _kisses_? He sure was kissing me a lot.

_Kinda feels good… _

_Wait…_

_What!_ My thoughts weren't making sense now; no way did I think it felt good...not even a little. _Gah, what exactly was in that drink? _

The mystery guy's kisses became more urgent, as if he was determined to get a reaction out of me. He drew back for a second and I swear I could feel him smirking, which only served to piss me off. _No Kagome, don't let it get to you. He is __**not**__ making fun of you. He couldn't possibly know this is your first kiss. That drink is making you act weird, don't do something you'll regret…_

And then he laughed, low and tauntingly, and all reason flew out the door.

_Alright then, let's see if this makes you laugh… _And then before my conscience could even start in on me..._ Damn conscience. Screw you._ I was about to do something regretful, but to hell with caring about it.

I yanked his face towards mine and planted my lips on his, kissing him furiously, which caught the guy completely by surprise. It didn't take him long to respond though, and in seconds we were going at it, our lips (and tongues? I wasn't sure anymore) were battling it out.

"Whoa! Check it out, Kagome's getting some…"

"Holy crap. They're really frickin' into this aren't they?"

"I always knew they'd get together…"

"Uh, they _do_ realize the lights are back on, right?"

Cat calls and whistles sliced through the air, causing my eyes to snap open and my body to stiffen… I felt my eyebrows draw together in confusion as I gaped at the person opposite me. At first we just kind of hazily stared at each other, our faces close, our breathing ragged, my arms wrapped around his shoulders, his hands carefully tilting my head upwards…

…and then all hell broke loose.

"K-Kagome?"

"Inuyasha!"

"What are you doing!"

"Uh _no_, what are _you_ doing?"

As if just realizing that the hands holding me in place were his, Inuyasha ripped himself away from me and started backing into the ring of onlookers that had encircled us. My heart plummeted at his reaction and I felt a ball of bitterness rise up in my throat.

"Not who you were expecting?" I asked with a harsh laugh. "So sorry to disappoint." _Something's wrong with me…I should be feeling relieved and extremely embarrassed right about now._ But I wasn't feeling either of those emotions. For some reason I was just really, really pissed. "You're not that great of a kisser anyways."

I watched as his amber eyes slit and hardened in anger, and I knew I'd pushed a button. Particularly his Male Ego button. Good. I wanted to insult him as bad as he'd insulted me.

Inuyasha took a step towards me and I took a second to let my eyes sweep up and down his body. He looked amazing. Leather pants and a bare chest were definitely his style. But my eyes froze on one thing (and no, it wasn't his gloriously unclothed chest). It was a black leather choker (which seriously looked like a dog collar on him) that had a little silver heart hanging from it. One guess at whose name was on it…

My eyes flitted back to his face in an instant, silently challenging him to confront me and make a big scene out of this. His eyes darkened in acceptance.

"I guess _Koga's _much better than me, huh?"

Right at that moment said wolf demon shoved his way into the center of the circle. "Better at what? Kagome, what's going on here?"

I took a step forward, putting myself right in front of Inuyasha. I looked up into his unfamiliar eyes, wondering who he was and how the heck we had become such strangers. But my mind was too muddled to linger on such complicated thoughts. I smirked at his furious expression and placed a hand on his chest, jingling his little 'collar' mockingly.

"That's right he is."

I shoved Inuyasha away and then whipped around to face Koga, my hands fumbled on the front of his costume as I tried to find a good place to grip him. Frustrated beyond belief, I finally just gave up and jerked Koga's face down, kissing him with everything I had.

The cat calls and whistles started up again as Koga enfolded me in his arms and kissed me back. But I welcomed the noise. It was a sign that everyone had seen what just happened and approved. I was so frickin' tired of being goody, goody all the time. If Inuyasha was going to be an asshole, then so was I.

Out of my peripheral vision I could see my ex-best friend bow up and glare at me, reacting just as I hoped he would. I pushed Koga's dazed face away from mine and turned my head to look at Inuyasha. "See, much better…."

The hanyou's furious expression transformed into a smirk and he crossed his arms over his chest disdainfully. "That's ok…Kikyo's a way better kisser than you'll ever be. Believe me I know. The only reason I was kissing you in the first place was because I thought you were her…"

"That's a load of B. S!" (Even when I was a little tipsy I couldn't bring myself to outright cuss.)

He shrugged. "It was dark, how was I supposed to know."

"You're a frickin' dog demon!" I spat. "Can't you _smell_ the difference?"

"I should have, seeing as you _smell_ so fucking disgusting!" he yelled back. The insult didn't even daunt me; I was beyond caring what this idiot said or did. That's why the next words came tumbling out of my mouth before my brain could even approve.

"I hate you! God, I _hate_ you! You know what? From now on stay the _heck_ away from me! I'm so sick of seeing your pathetic love-struck face whenever you're with _Kikyo._ She's changed you so much I don't even want to be around you anymore!"

Inuyasha's hard expression slackened for a millisecond before becoming even stonier than before. "No, you're the one that's changed Kagome! What the hell did that mangy wolf do to you? Look! You're fucking _drunk_!"

"I am not! I only had one drink."

"And exactly how big was it?"

I pulled out of Koga's arms and tried to use my hands to show Inuyasha the height of the cup, but for some reason I couldn't seem to judge it right. "It doesn't matter," I said, giving up, "I'm not drunk."

"Uh, yes the fuck you are. And if you stick around _Dumbass_ over there, you're probably going to end up getting hurt."

"Watch it mutt…," Koga growled. We both ignored him.

"Pfft, like you care." I said, blowing an exasperated puff of air and staggering towards him a bit. "You'd probably enjoy it if I was in pain." Like I was right now.

"Kagome, you're drunk."

"Am not!" I insisted stubbornly.

"Come on Kagome," I flinched as Koga grabbed my hand. "The DJ is calling us up to the stage. We've got to go."

I cocked my head, listening for the DJ. _I don't hear the DJ. What in the heck is Koga talking about?_

"Come _on_ Kagome…" He pulled on my hand a little harder.

_Fine then._

I turned sharply from Inuyasha. I was glad to get him out of my vision anyway. Just the sight of him was causing my stomach to turn and my heart to hurt. Or was it that drink Koga had given me?

_OK, no more punch for me. Ever._

I stumbled unsteadily as Koga guided me through the masses and up onto the large platform that stretched across the room. And _darnit! I still need to use the bathroom! _

My eyes squinted as I stood on the stage, victim to all the evil and painfully bright stage lights.

"Kagome stand here and don't move. I'll be right back, okay?" I mentally frowned at the way Koga said his words slowly and distinctly, as if that was the only way I would comprehend what he was trying to tell me.

_I am not drunk…_ I grabbed a nearby microphone stand as the room suddenly swayed. _And that was a perfectly normal reaction to having your eyes burned out by a galore of stage lights. I am not drunk… and I do not feel indescribably dizzy for any reason except these damn lights…_

While part of my brain was trying to convince myself that I wasn't tipsy, the other part was faintly taking in the fact that music was still playing and people were still dancing. As if everything was completely normal.

Maybe nothing had even happened_._

_Yeah that's it…Maybe I really __**am**__ drunk and I just made that whole scenario up…Man, I have a twisted brain… Like I would ever have the guts to tell Inuyasha off…and even more twisted is the fact that I thought we were kissing…plus poor Koga being drug into all that..._

_Kagome…you are __**not**__ drunk…and that whole scene __**did**__ happen…_

_**What are you talking about? She **__is__** drunk! And absolutely **__none__** of that stuff happened…**_

Great. Now two halves of my brain were having an argument…. Hmm. Was this like having an angel and devil on your shoulder?

_Nah…those lazy bums only show up when you're in a dire 'Do Good' or 'Do Bad' situation…_

_**Yeah…so there's no need for them right now…**_

Oh. I didn't know that. Or did I? This was the two halves of _my_ brain telling me this after all…

_**You're so drunk…**_

_She is not!_

_**Right…because the average sober person **__always__** has these kinds of conversations with herself…**_

Wow. I slammed my hands up to either side of my head and squished my eyes shut. This was ridiculous…and I was so confused. Was I drunk or not? Did I really yell at Inuyasha? Had Koga and I kissed? And was that_ pee_ running down my leg?

"Kagome? Are you ready to sing?"

Koga! Surely he could answer some of my questions…

"Am I drunk?"

The wolf demon stared at me. "What?"

"Am I drunk?" I repeated.

Koga took a step closer and placed his hand on my shoulder before prying the microphone stand out of my grip. "Maybe just a bit." He walked me to the back of the stage where Ginta and Hakkaku were standing near a small drink filled table. "Damn… I didn't think _one _drink would affect you so much. Here…drink this; it's water. Maybe that'll clean your system out a little."

I took the bottled water and tried to figure out how the top came off while Koga walked back over to our band mates and resumed his whispered conversation. I pouted at the stubborn cap, completely at a loss of what to do.

For some reason I felt like I was on the verge of tears. Unless this stupid top came off right now, I was going to breakdown and bawl my eyes out. Luckily Koga had noticed my struggle and made his way back over to me.

"Do you need some help with that…err, cap?"

I nodded my head pathetically.

"Are you about to cry? Gah lee, I've never met someone who gets so emotional when they drink…Just a few minutes ago you were about to rip dog-boy's frickin' head off, and now you're about to sob over a _twist top_?"

He twisted and the top popped off easily. I looked up at him and felt my emotions shift over to dread. "You mean you saw that whole thing with Inuyasha? You were in my head too?"

"Geez Kagome. What are you talking about?" He handed me my water. "Half of the people here saw that. And you _kissed_ me. Remember?"

I felt myself pale. This was definitely not good.

"Are you sure you can sing? We start in like 30 minutes, right after the C. C. C…"

"What's that?"

Koga sighed. "The Couple's Costume Contest…which we've been entered into by the way, _no thanks to those idiots_!" He flung the last part over his shoulder at a pair of snickering wolf demons.

I tipped the water bottle to my lips and started chugging. Already the woozy alcohol induced fog that had settled over my brain was beginning to dissipate as what Koga was saying got through to me. Not the part about the contest. The part about the Inuyasha scene. Apparently that whole thing **did** happen and it was probably because I **was** drunk.

So therefore both parts of my brain had been wrong.

"Come on Kagome. We've got to get to the top of the staircase. That's where the competition's being held…"

I sat my half- emptied bottle of water back on the table and glanced up at Koga sharply. "_Not_ until I use the bathroom."

Koga raised his hands in defense and backed away cautiously. "Okay, Okay! Just don't go all 'I'm-drunk-so-I'm-having-pissy-mood-swings' on me. Geez." He offered a hand and I grabbed it, glad he was there to assist me because honestly I felt like a friggin bloated tick. My bladder was so full I waddled instead of walked.

Well…at least all I had to do was lift my skirt up and _go _when I got there.

* * *

Oh sweet relief.

I swear I peed out like 10 gallons. And also most of the alcohol I had drank, because now my head was **a lot** clearer.

I glanced down at all of the people milling about the base of the Taisho Grand Staircase, waiting for the costume contest to begin. I'd wondered why it was being held at the staircase rather than the stage…but now I got it.

No matter where they stood, everyone in the room would be able to look up and see the contestants as they made their way down the huge stairs, thus allowing the competition to be completely fair. _Hmm…pretty smart idea_.

Koga pulled me up the rest of the stairs and through the doorway that was located at the top, joining us with about 8 other couples. Of course I wasn't focusing too hard on winning, but I checked out the competition anyways. The opposition consisted of a cowboy and cowgirl, nurse and doctor, angel and devil, school- girl and teacher, a prince and princess (they looked really good), a bad-boy pirate and his helpless captive, foot-ball player and cheerleader, and (oh geez, this one was great) a key (which was the guy) and a lock (the girl).

Wow. That costume was pretty darn funny. The guy had a giant key that stuck out right where his other, err, "key" would have been, while the girl had the lock placed over her, err, "lock" (if yah know what I'm saying).

I grinned over at them as Koga led me to the DJ who then gave us two "Number 10" stickers. Koga slapped it on the shoulder of my cape and we stood with the others, waiting for instructions.

"Ok then," the DJ said loudly, "we're only missing one couple so I'll go ahead and explain what you guys have to do. When I announce your nu—"

"We're here…"

Everyone turned to stare in the direction of the voice.

_No way…_

Inuyasha and Kikyo made their way down the dark hallway and into the more lighted area we were all standing in.

"We need our number," Inuyasha continued.

The DJ mumbled an annoyed "Right" before disappearing off the little stool he'd been standing on and then reappearing with two "Number 1" stickers.

I pulled my cape around me and tried to shift Koga to the back of the group so the new couple wouldn't spot us. When I saw Inuyasha all of my hazy thoughts from "the fight" had come back with frightening clarity…and also the _emotions._

I was pretty dang pissed. "Koga," I whispered, "we have to beat them…"

He looked down at me and grinned, showing his fangs. "You still pissed at him?"

"Heck yes I am…as far as I'm concerned we're officially enemies."

"But I thought you _wanted_ him to take your first kiss."

"I did…but he took it and then said it was only because he thought I was some other girl. Do you know how bad that hurt me? I'll never forgive him," I hissed. "Never."

"Good."

"What?"

"Nothing. Let's just see what we're up against."

I looked away from Koga, a little confused about his response. What part of this did he think was _good_? My heart was being ripped out and Koga thought it was _good_? _Whatever, maybe I just misunderstood him. _

I stood on my tippy-toes and peeked across all of the other couples, trying to find a specific pair. "Heh," I snorted, "Cat and Dog? Me and Inuyasha did that one in, what, third grade? How lame…" Of course this was coming from a girl who was dressed up as a fairytale character… And Kikyo's cat costume did _not_ look like mine had back in the third grade.

She wore a strapless, leather dress that was tight and form fitting, ending just above mid-thigh. Her only other accessories included a pair of black fuzzy cat ears perched atop her head, and a matching tail trailing behind. Oh yeah, and of course the identical "collar" that had a little heart dangling from it.

Can you say barf?

The Inuyasha I used to know would have never agreed to wear _matching_ collars with _anyone._ Even his girlfriend.

"Well, I'm not saying we don't have a chance…but they look pretty good together," Koga whispered.

He was right. They contrasted with each other perfectly. She had long dark hair, and he had gorgeous white hair. Inuyasha's height and muscle only added to her small and petite appearance too…

"We. Will. Win." I growled.

"Of course we will," Koga chuckled. "I look good enough to beat both of them."

I punched him lightly and felt my mood lift with his attempt at humor. We could pull this off. I knew we could.

* * *

Ok, thank goodness we were last.

I hadn't listened to a word the DJ said so basically the only way me or Koga knew what was going on was by watching everybody else. Kikyo and Inuyasha were the first to disappear through the doorway, and the applauding and whistles were deafening. Hopefully this contest wasn't judged on the audience response…

As our turn came nearer and nearer, I became more determined to win. Besides, this was an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. I could beat Kikyo (and gloat about it)_ and_ I could show Inuyasha that I had found someone better (and then totally gloat about it.)

"How does my hair look," I asked calmly.

"Horrible…"

"What!" I began to frantically fluff my pigtails, trying to fix them like they had been at the beginning of the party.

"Calm down, calm down," Koga rolled his eyes. "I was just messing with you. You look beautiful. In fact with your beauty and my rugged good looks combined, we look good enough to take over the world."

I raised a brow. "I didn't know you only had to look beautiful to take over the world."

"Well now ya do…"

Wow. We were babbling. Which means we were nervous.

"And our last contestants. Little Red Riding Hood and her Big Bad Wolf! Nuuuuumber 10!"

"Her Big Bad Wolf? I'm going to _kill_ those two when this is over…," Koga growled.

"Alright here we go…," I said, feeling the nervousness in pit of my stomach swell again. Koga swept my hood over my head and straitened his headband before fixing a cocky grin on his face.

"Ok, let's do it."

We walked through the doorway and I held back a gasp as the rowdy sounds of guys and the screaming voices of girls met my ears. _Well then…I guess the people like us…_ I grinned cutely (or what I hoped was cute) and lifted a hand up to wave.

Koga and I began making our way down the stairs smiling, and putting on a show for the crowd. It wasn't until I was mid-way down that I realized that I was looking for someone. My eyes finally found him, and when Inuyasha looked up, our gazes locked.

He was surprised. I could tell. The way his eyes lit up and his smile changed made my heart clench, because it was so genuine, it was so _him._

I almost gave in, right then and there, and hurled myself down the stairs to apologize. The Inuyasha looking at me now was _my_ Inuyasha. The one I was in love with and who I could almost believe was capable of loving me back. But luckily my senses came back just in time. I reached over to Koga and linked my arm through his, my eyes never leaving Inuyasha's.

Of course after that his face changed. He was Kikyo's stranger again, and I was nothing more than another girl. I was proud of myself though. My smile didn't even waver. In fact I may have even had a smirk on my face. I looked away from the unfamiliar person that used to be my best friend, and pulled Koga closer.

When we reached the bottom of the stairway the DJ took over again.

"Alright everybody! You've seen them all, but who is the best? Take your vote right here at the bottom of the staircase and after the concert we will announce the winning couple!"

The noise in the room increased as everybody converged on the tables that were set up along the bottom steps of the huge staircase. Koga looked down at me and I got the message he was trying to convey. We needed to get to the stage… Fast.

He tried to yell something at me, but the noise was so loud I couldn't quite catch what he was saying. Finally he just pointed at his back and mouthed "Get on!"

I nodded and jumped onto his offered back, being extra careful that nobody got a free peek at my panties. But I was a pro at this now, so it didn't take much effort. Koga grunted (which offended me a little if truth be known) and leapt over one of the voting tables before clearing a path through the ever-growing sea of people. By the time we finally made it to the stage, the sound check was already halfway through. Koga quickly grabbed his guitar and tapped his microphone while I battled against the overly bright stage lights…again.

_Shouldn't they be a little easier on my eyes now that I'm not so smashed?_ I sighed and held my hand to my brow, like a visor, and then did my own mini sound-check, testing my voice and memory. Thankfully the lyrics to all of our songs were coming to me easily, and I felt the queasy feeling in my stomach lessen.

"You know…if the lights are too bright, you could always just pull your hood lower…"

I glanced over a Koga and made a face at him. "How is it that I'm the only one who thinks these lights are way too bright?" _And hot…I'm actually breaking a sweat here…_

He shrugged and played a few quick chords. "Cause' you're a freak?"

"Wow. Thanks." I said flatly.

"No problem…Are you ready?"

"Of course I'm ready. I was _born_ ready….This is going to be a cinch."

"Ok with the sarcasm…"

I grinned at him. "But seriously, I'm ready to just get this over with so we can find out the results of the contest…"

"Good," he strummed a few last chords, "cause' the concert is starting in two minutes."

I made room for the DJ as he walked onto the stage and then waited in anticipation as he announced our band name and each of its members. Soon enough everybody in the room shifted over from the voting booths to the stage, and the noise and excitement swelled as the lights flicked off.

Only one spot of light remained and it was focused on Koga as he bent his head and focused on his guitar, cueing the first notes of a song.

_We have to do good…or Kikyo and Inuyasha will make sure we crash and burn…Ok, deep breath Kagome. _I closed my eyes. _Just pretend you're in your room and your microphone is actually your hairbrush… _

Well…it had worked the other night, so it should pull me through tonight too. My eyes opened…and were instantly bombarded by super bright lights. _Hmm…guess I shouldn't even worry though, it's not like I can **see **__anyone__ past these stupid lights._

I immediately relaxed and let my voice and the music take over.

And then the rest of the concert was a blur…I don't even know if the audience liked us or not…

* * *

I grabbed the half empty water bottle that was sitting on the little table at the back of the stage and finished it off in 15 seconds flat.

"Geez, save some for us will ya?"

"No way! You guys barely even did anything! Especially you Hakkaku, just sitting on your butt the whole time and hitting a drum…"

The insulted wolf demon rounded on me.

"Huh? The drummer works the hardest! What with all the changing drums and keeping beats and throwing the sticks in the air so I look cool…."

I choked back a laugh at Hakkaku's air of haughtiness and completely serious face.

"You're right, you're right," I admitted with a sarcastic wave of my hand, "I suppose throwing a couple of sticks in the air is definitely tiring…"

With all the hype and adrenaline that was coursing through my veins after the concert, I barely registered that the couple contestants were being called back to the staircase until Koga grabbed my hand and slung me onto his back. We repeated the whole, fighting through the crowd process, and finally made our way to the top of the stairs where couples 1-9 were already lined up across the balcony. Koga and I took our place at the very end of the long row and smiled down at the crowd.

"I say we have an even greater chance of winning now."

I glanced up at Koga and lowered my raised hand. "Yeah, because we just performed a concert and everyone got to see us an hour and a half longer than the other couples…"

"Oh…I was going to say it was because all the ladies love me, but that explanation works too I guess…"

"Pfft, whatever Koga!"

"No I'm serious! Check it out."

I looked down at the crowd and was nearly speechless at the amount of girls that practically had hearts for eyes and were screaming at Koga. _Gah, he's not kidding is he… _His arm snaked around my waist and he scooted me closer.

"Told ya…"

"Guess we'll see huh?"

"As if all those googly-eyed girls aren't proof enough?"

"Ha! How can you be sure they're even looking at you? They could be looking at—," I glanced down the line of couples, "Inuyasha."

Kikyo and Inuyasha stood on the opposite side of the balcony, looking absolutely perfect, as if they already knew they had won.

"Oh please…Watch this. I'll prove it." Koga pointed out to a group of girls and grinned, showing just enough fang to give him that sexy bad-boy look. I resisted the urge to cover my ears as the squeals and screams intensified by 20 times, but Koga just continued to grin and finally finished them off with a wink. "What then?" he boasted.

"Fine," I sighed, "you're right. They're all looking at you, bladdity blah blah blah…," I said with a roll of my eyes, hoping he was satisfied.

"Ah, don't get depressed Kagome…It's a good thing because it means were gonna win."

"Guess we'll see huh?"

Everyone quieted down as the DJ finally made his appearance. "And now, my good people, I am here to tell you the final results of the Couple's Costume Contest!…" Everybody whooped and shouted appropriately.

"In third place we have Contestants Number 4! The Pirate and His Mistress!"

The couple descended the stairs to receive their award, waving and smiling happily.

"Second place goes to Contestants Number 7! Happily Ever After!"

The prince and his princess (which were the ones who'd won [Apparently I wasn't the only one who thought they looked good]) followed the third place couple down the staircase, looking elegant and poised, but completely stoked.

"And in first place," the DJ continued, "we have"

I clenched Koga's hand in anticipation.

"A three way tie!"

Everyone gasped, including Koga no thanks to the sudden pressure I was applying to his hand. _A- A three way tie? Is that even possible? Who are they? Are we in?_

"A three way tie between Contestants Numbers 1, 9, and 10!"

That would be Inuyasha/Kikyo and Koga/Me…but who was number nine…? I glanced at the couple standing next to us and held back a hysterical giggle.

Of course, the Key/Lock couple…

-End-

* * *

If you wanna see what the Key/Lock couple costume looks like, go to Google Images and type in: Key/Lock couple costume...

Well I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter…it took me forever to write (which I'm sure you all have noticed seeing how it's been nearly a month since I've updated).

:)

Hopefully I'll be able to get chapters out quicker now. But I do have to admit, the summer heat is getting to me and I've been awfully lazy. :D

Read N Review!

Thanx!

_-RedThread_


	15. Yet Again

WooHoo! An update!

Enjoy!

:P

**Disclaimer: No ownage of Inuyasha.**

* * *

Chapter 15: Yet Again…

-Start—

**On Sunday, the next morning…**

_Wow._

_Please kill me now_…

"Mur-_oooowww…"_

_Oh why thank you, Buyo…I now am in the throes of death…_

I winced and covered my ears as the scratchy sound of Buyo's '_mur-ooows' _floated up from somewhere in the yard below. My head thudded in absolute pain, causing my breath to hitch and scattering any remaining sarcastic comments right out my head. The yowling from below slowly grew louder.

_What, is he sitting right under my window or something?_

I groaned and turned so that I could see my alarm clock.

12:30…

Was it morning or noon? My curtains were closed and the whole room was shrouded in shadows, so it was hard to tell. I forced myself to think about what had happened before I'd gone to bed, hoping to figure out what time of day it was without having to physically get up and see.

_Ugh…What __**did**__ happen? My head is killing me… _

The last thing I seemed to remember was stumbling down the street in the middle of the night, with Koga. _But…what happened after that? _I raised a hand to my forehead, as if that could somehow make all my memories return. I still had absolutely no idea_…Why can't I remember?… And why does my head hurt so frickin' bad?_

I placed my pillow over my face, loving the merciful pressure and darkness it provided, while I listened to the stillness of the house… at least it was nice and quiet…

_Mur-__**oooowww**__.._

Except for the dang cat…

My head throbbed again as Buyo raised Cain right under my window, and I tossed my useless pillow off and moaned in frustration. _Geez…what has gotten into that cat? The only time he ever makes this much noise is if…_

My curtains were suddenly flung wide, and a familiar figure crouched in the windowsill.

…_Inuyasha comes over…_

"Shut up, ya stinkin' cat! We'll play later, okay?"

_This __**cannot **__be happening…_

I thudded my pillow back down on my face, refusing to acknowledge the person that was now half-way in my room. His feet plodded onto the floor, and I listened as his light footsteps drew closer to the bed. _Tch!_ _I love the way he acts like it's completely natural to come leaping through someone's window. Who does he think he is? And I swear, if he busted the lock on my window __**again**__ I'm going to—._

"Wake up Kagome. We need to talk."

I didn't move.

"I know you're awake," he growled. "Even_ you_ can't sleep through all the noise that damn cat was making…"

"What time is it?" I grumbled in a muffled voice.

"Noon."

I flung back my pillow and sat up in a hurry. "Noon! Why didn't anyone wake me?"

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, and stared at me coolly. "Why ya freakin' out Kagome? Gotta a date with the mangy wolf or somethin'?"

I fixed my face in a scowl, and squinted my eyes against the bright sunlight that was now flooding into my room …_As if having my eyeballs burned out the night before wasn't enough_. I focused my gaze on Inuyasha, trying to keep the room from spinning. "So what if I do have a date with him? It's none of _your _business Inuyasha…"

"So that's it then?"

"What's it?"

"Me and you. We're not friends anymore."

I stared at him quietly as he folded his arms across his chest and furrowed his eyebrows. "Honestly Kagome," he sighed, "I don't know how it got like this… but I can't take it anymore…something's…," he paused trying to sort out his thoughts before saying them aloud. "Something's _changed _between us."

"Yeah," I murmured under my breath, "Kikyo." _That's what's changed between us._

"What?"

"Nothing…"

"See! This is what I mean!"

"What are you talking about!"

"You don't talk to me anymore!"

"Me? You're the one who barely even mumbles 'Good Morning' to me anymore! I've tried Inuyasha! I have tried _so _unbelievably hard to talk to you and act like everything is normal, but you know what? It's not! And you want to know why it's not normal?"

"Why, Kagome? Tell me why it's not normal!" Inuyasha yelled sarcastically.

My eyes narrowed as my voice fell to a dangerous level, letting him know I was completely serious. "It's Kikyo…"

"Kikyo?" He questioned in an unbelieving tone. A mocking laugh ripped from his throat and he shook his head. "Really Kagome," he breathed, "from the very beginning you've hated her. And now I think I know why…"

I waited.

"You're jealous aren't you?"

My eyes widened.

"You're jealous," he continued, "because for the first time in forever, I've become closer to someone other than you…"

The room spun as I fell back into my pillows. I grabbed one and slammed it over my face to keep myself from screaming at him. _How? How could somebody be so frickin' dense! I thought he'd finally realized my feelings…But, __**noooo**__…He's still stuck on friendship and being all buddy buddy…_

"I'm right aren't I?" he said.

I growled in frustration, my head pulsing with pain. _No more. I can't take it. His denseness is __**hurting**__ me… "_Out," I mumbled from under my pillow. "Get out of here right now Inuyasha. I'm done with you _and_ Kikyo." I raised my pillow and stared at the ceiling, blinking hard as angry tears dripped from the corner of my eyes._ What a surprise…he's made me cry __**yet**__ again._

"Kagome, listen—," he said, "I know I promised I wouldn't get closer to anyone, but you've made it kind of hard not to…"

Something in me cracked. Probably my heart. Whatever it was, it was enough for me to go ballistic. "Inuyasha! If you don't get out of here _right_ now, I swear I gonna kill you! Get out, and stay out! I don't want to see you anymore! Never speak to me again!_"_

His shoulders squared at the tone in my voice and he whipped around so that he was facing my open window. "Fine! Don't come trying to apologize and make up with me either, because from this point on we're officially enemies. Kikyo's enemies are my enemies too."

"Fine! Who needs a worthless half- breed like you anyways! Koga's a _real _demon, and _twice_ as better as you!"

Inuyasha turned his head sharply and stared at me over his shoulder. I shivered at the hate in his eyes, but continued to glare at him nevertheless.

"Bye, Kagome…"

And with that he silently swooped out of my window…

…and I never saw him again.

* * *

Yeah right.

I saw him the very next day, at school.

It wasn't a very pretty day, this wonderful Monday. In fact, the sky rather reflected my mood: sullen and gray. Today I was the first person in the classroom. I'd timed it so I wouldn't have to talk to anybody, not even Sango.

I pulled out my notes that were over something or the other (I wasn't even sure) and commenced studying…or, at least that's what I wanted it to look like I was doing. We did have a test after all. But my real motive was to make sure nobody talked to me; I wanted to seem busy and totally focused.

But that didn't stop anybody. Most people had to comment on my costume, and exclaim over my singing. I just nodded and said 'Thank You' over and over again, like a robot. Gah, school hadn't even started and I was already ready for it to be over.

And what I was really dreading was Koga. I knew he would want to talk… but I just wasn't in the mood. I'd feel even worse if I completely ignored him though… So I waited patiently, ignoring Inuyasha and Kikyo as they passed by me, and continuing to fake study.

I waited, and waited,…..and waited…

_Where is he?_ _I know he usually rolls in late, but…_

Homeroom came and went, and still, he didn't show up. When Mr. Mitsu handed out our tests, I stared at mine blankly, with absolutely no clue how to do any of it. But with my current 'I don't really care about anything' mood, it was easy to just scribble down a few answers and then spend the rest of the test time speculating on where that stupid wolf was. _I'll ask Ginta and Hakkaku when I get a chance…maybe they know where he is…_

As soon as the lunch bell rang, I made my way over to the two before they could leave the room. "Hey, you guys," I greeted. "What's up with Koga? Is he ditching or something?"

"I'm not sure," said Ginta, "usually he lets us know if he's skipping, because then we join him…"

"Ah…I see," I narrowed my eyes in disapproval. "So neither of you have a clue as to where he is?"

The two wolves glanced at each other before looking back to me. "Nope."

"Okay. I guess I'll try to contact him after school or something." They nodded and then took off for the lunchroom, leaving me and a few others behind in the class alone. I walked back to my desk and slumped into it, my usual appetite completely nonexistent. I was too depressed to eat…

But then again... some chocolate would taste _awfully _good right now.

Maybe I'd get some ice cream on the way home…

At the end of the day I went to my locker quickly as possible, once again avoiding everybody I could. Sango would definitely be pissed…

I shoved my notes, plus the extra ones that I had so thoughtfully copied for Koga, into my messenger bag, and pushed through the main doors that led into the court yard. _Greeeaaat…_

It was raining. _Of_ course.

And it _just so happened_ that I didn't have an umbrella.

I ground my teeth and slumped my shoulders in defeat, knowing that my choices were either A) Run through the rain all the way to ice cream shop (because rain or shine, I would have my chocolate ice cream), or B) Wait for Sango to come along and pray she would allow me under her umbrella…_if_ she'd even brought one…

Before I could make up my mind, a quiet pair of people came through the doorway, trying (like me) to leave the school before the usual rush of students. I turned my head to stare at them absently, my mind still unmade.

But then it struck me_ who_ exactly I was staring at, and I ducked my head down, trying to remain unnoticed. Kikyo and Inuyasha stopped their quiet whispering and silently stood next to me for a second. Kikyo laughed softly and I heard the quiet '_fwap'_ of an umbrella opening before they walked back into my line of vision. Inuyasha had his arm wrapped around Kikyo's shoulders, holding her close, as they easily walked under one umbrella…

"Too bad I brought an extra one," he laughed, "we don't even need it." My eyes rose, meeting both of theirs as they looked over their shoulders at me. I glanced down at the unused umbrella that was dangling from Inuyasha's hand, and clenched my trembling hand into a fist.

Alright then…My mind was made up…I was going through the rain.

I clutched my bag to my chest and took a step into the unsheltered courtyard, becoming drenched in seconds. My hair dripped in cold rivulets down my back, my bangs were plastered to my forehead, and my shoes were already soaked through. I frowned unhappily and started running, each breath I took visible in the chilly air.

As I shot pass the cozy couple, I made sure I wasn't the only one enjoying the rain…

Kikyo let out a startled yelp as cold water splashed over her shoes. Inuyasha's growl soon followed.

For the first time, all day, a small smile lit my lips…

* * *

After a hot fudge Sunday (ordered Kagome style, which was chocolate ice cream topped with chocolate syrup) my mood improved drastically. But the weather didn't. I figured I could wait the storm out in the warm little ice cream shop (which I found quite ironic, I mean, a _warm ice cream_ shop? What the heck?) but I knew the little lady behind the counter was sending me death looks for dripping all over her pristine floor. I made my exit soon as possible.

The rain didn't let up the whole way to Koga's house, and by the time I dashed into his garage, I was shivering. _I have definitely had better days…_ I thought, sourly. My considerably improved mood plummeted as I let out a string of sneezes. _Great…and now I'm all snotty…_

Just as I was raring back for another sneeze, the door flung wide, and a cautious Koga poked his head out.

"Kagome? What are you doing here?"

"Stupid," I sneezed, "you weren't at school today, so of course I was worried…"

Koga opened the door further and took in my appearance. "Did….Did you walk here through the rain?"

I stared at him moodily. "No, Koga…actually I _ran_ here through the rain. Now stop gawking and give me a towel. I swear I've already entered the first stages of hypothermia…"

He disappeared down the hallway and I followed after him, my wet bag still folded in my arms.

"So you were worried about me huh?"

I rolled my eyes as Koga grinned and draped a fluffy towel over my head. "Hmph…" I grumbled halfheartedly. "I didn't finish my statement earlier. I was worried: _about what kind of crap you were up to._

"Who? Me?" He said innocently. "What could _I _possibly be up to?"

"I don't know," I said flatly. "That's why I'm here…"

We were in the kitchen now, and I slung my bag up onto the marble bar that sat in the middle of the room before settling myself onto one of the bar stools.

"You hungry?"

"Nah, I'm fine. I had some ice cream on the way over here."

He glanced back at me, and made a face. "Who eats _ice cream_ in November?"

I stared back at him. "Who _sells_ ice cream in November? I'm not the weird person here…it's obviously the _seller _who's crazy. I was just trying to help her business along."

"Oh please, you would eat that stuff _any_ month of the year."

I stopped trying to gain the upper hand and cracked a smile. "Heck _yes_ I would. Any month, any season, any day…."

Koga closed the refrigerator and then turned to lean across the bar from the other side. "Hope you didn't have any homework in that bag."

I glanced down at my dripping bag and sighed forlornly before flipping the top open and pulling out a wad of soggy papers. "Well these _were_ our notes, because yes, I did thoughtfully copy some extras for you." I gently spread the wet papers out. "Oh well, I'll just copy Inuya—" I stopped myself before I could say his whole name, and chewed my lip. "I mean Miroku. I'll copy Miroku's notes."

Koga stared at me hard. "So how was it, seeing him for the first time since the party? Are you guys seriously still fighting?"

That's right. Koga didn't know about our most recent knock-down-drag out. Well I wasn't about to go into details about it either. "I didn't talk to him all day. But he's informed me that any enemy of his girlfriend, A.K.A Kikyo, can be considered an enemy of his too."

"Meaning you, right?"

"Yes," I said sardonically, "I would definitely be included in that group."

"So what're you going to do? This is war right? Are we going to keep _Plan J_ going?"

"Well for now I'm going to let the asshole suffer the wrath of my silent treatment…"

"Whoa…you must be serious about this if you're actually _cussing,_ Kagome."

I studied him playfully, his mood infecting mine. "I figured if I'm going to be in a rock band, then I have to at least act like it. Which includes cussing, and wearing too much eyeliner right?"

"Speaking of which," Koga said excitedly, "I have big some news…"

Koga straightened up and walked around the bar to pull me off my stool. He drug me into the living room and forced me to take a seat on the couch. "Okay, so what's this _big_ news?"

"Today," he said as he plopped down next to me, "I was called up to Naraku's place."

"_What_? Just out of the blue?"

"Yeah, completely. But I went, because you don't just ignore a call from Naraku. So anyways," he continued, "I get all the way up there, which took forever because I had to hitch a ride on a bus, and a pair of bodyguards, _bodyguards_ Kagome, meet me at the top of the entrance and _usher_ me all the way down to Naraku's office like I'm prisoner or something."

I nodded, momentarily speechless in the suspense.

"Well, I'm in his office, just me and him, and he's staring at me with that creepy look he always has, you know which one I'm talking about, right? So I really can't tell if he's pissed or pleased."

"Yeah, and then what?"

"He throws an envelope across the desk at me, so I'm like 'What the heck is this?' and he just stares at me, all creepy-like, and says 'Your schedule…'"

"What?"

"I know, that's exactly what I said. But he wouldn't tell me anything else. It was almost like he was pissed that he was pleased…Does that make sense?"

I thought for a second. "You mean he was acting like he was annoyed that our band did well, but at the same time had to be pleased _because_ we did well?"

Koga stared. "You just made that ten times more complicated than it had to be…"

"Shut up Koga, it makes complete sense to me…"

"Well, anyways, after that the bodyguards appear again, and I'm escorted back to the top of the stairs along with our new _schedule_. And by then it was already noon, so I just decided that there was no point in going to school."

"And you've been here ever since?"

"Yup."

"So where's the schedule?"

Koga stood up and walked back into the kitchen before reappearing a few seconds later with a thick envelope in his hand. My eyes widened as he dropped it between us on the couch. "Gah lee. Have you already looked through _all _of these?" I sifted through the thick stack of papers that clearly stated where we were to perform, when, and how to get there. There had to be at least 25 pages, each one with a new gig and different info.

"Half of it…But Kagome…we really need you to stick with us and sing."

My eyes met his and I sighed. Back when I had first agreed to join his band as the "singer", the circumstances had been different. And plus I'd thought it was just a onetime thing that I'd been suckered into… But… now with everything in my life falling apart, what I really needed was something to focus on, like a distraction. _I'll just pretend they're my therapy group… _I rolled my eyes. "I'm in. When's our first gig?"

Koga grinned with relief.

"This Friday…At 2:00 p.m."

"But….wait…we'll still be in school, won't we?"

"Naraku knows that, so he'll probably handle it. Is that okay with you? Little Miss Follow the Rules and Have Perfect Attendance for 5 Years Straight?"

I glared at him. "Just to let you know, I completely and utterly _failed _a test today."

"Good. That's progress."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Koga grinned and leapt over the back of the couch as I swung at him.

"Hurry up Kagome! Ginta and Hakkaku are here!" His voice faded as he ran down the hallway and into the garage.

I stood up and sneezed a gazillion times before following after the fleeing wolf demon. _Sneezing that many times in a row __**can't**__ be a good sign. Have I doomed myself by agreeing to be in this crazy band? _I sniffled and felt a chill run through my body.

_Or, _I thought gloomily,_…it could just mean I've caught a cold…_

_Hard to decide which one's worse…_

_-_End—

* * *

Next chapter will be out a jillion times faster….I promise. I've already got most of it planned out. :)

Thanks for sticking with me.

-_RedThread_


	16. The Nightmare

Alrighty, here's Chapter 16…

Sorry for the abnormally long delay…eh heh heh… :) and plus this chapter isn't as long as I usually like them, but hey, at least I'm writing again…

:)

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha…

* * *

Chapter 16: A Nightmare

-Start—

When I walked into the classroom on Tuesday morning, I was only half aware of it. I was also only half aware of the fact that snot was dribbling from my nose… I slumped into my chair next to Koga as a shiver traveled up my spine.

Today I was nearly late.

I sniffled and weakly reached out to flip over the piece of paper that was lying on my desk… And was greeted by a big fat, red 52 circled at the top of the page.

Call it a gut feeling, but _something_ was telling me that today was going to suck. Majorly.

"Kagome!"

My eyes jerked off the evil number that adorned my paper and I stared across at Koga, trying to figure out why he felt the need to shout my name. I mean, I was right next to him for goodness sake…

"Are you okay?" His dark blue eyes studied my face carefully, searching for something. "I've been calling your name, for like, the last 5 minutes and you didn't even seem to hear me…"

"Sorry…," I apologized. "I was a little distracted." I winced and held up my test, revealing my horrid score.

"Damn…," he mumbled. "You weren't kidding yesterday? You jacked that test up pretty bad."

I swallowed hard and nodded miserably.

"You sure you feel okay? You look paler today than normal."

I rolled my eyes at his mild insult and felt a twinge of irritation. "I'm fine Koga. It's just a bad test grade…." I broke eye contact with him and began furiously tucking my test into my folder, at the same time pulling out a clean sheet of paper.

The heat of his stare finally left me as he reluctantly turned back toward the front, waiting for Mr. Mitsu to start his lecture. I sniffled again before sitting up straight and putting the tip of my pencil to my paper, in complete note-taking mode. I felt fine. Completely fine.

Another shiver skittered up my spine and I snuggled further into my fleece jacket, a morbid thought forming in my head. _But_ _it won't matter **what** I feel like if Mama finds out about this test grade…I'll be dead…_

I pushed the thought away and put all my energy into multitasking, my pencil flying across my page as I took every word Mr. Mitsu said.

Next test, I would make a 100. Either that or I'll be 6 feet under, courtesy of Mama.

* * *

When the bell for lunch finally rang, I drooped forward on my desk and closed my eyes. I felt horrible. The last thing I needed was to choke down some of that toxic cafeteria food. A light touch on my shoulder caused me jump.

"Are you sure you're okay Kagome? You look like you're about to pass out."

I turned away from Koga's concerned gaze and closed my eyes once again. Pass out is exactly what I wanted to do…preferably at home, in a bed. But I knew that I had to stay at school so I wouldn't miss part two of Mr. Mitsu's _amazing_ lecture. If I skipped out there was no way I'd pass the next test…. And another failure was _not_ what I needed at the moment. "Koga," I moaned, "just go to lunch…. And quit worrying about me, I'm fine," I snapped.

That came out way harsher than I meant, but Koga seemed to sense that I wasn't in a particularly good mood right now, and backed off. "Alright," he said brusquely. "See ya later then…"

Great. Now I felt even worse. I didn't mean to sound so ungrateful and annoyed…I just….I felt so…ugh! What did it matter anymore? I really just wanted to go to sleep...

…so I did.

* * *

I think I was dreaming. No I had to be. Inuyasha was talking to me…and he looked so young.

"—be friends?"

I found myself staring into his warm golden eyes, and the chubby roundness of his face. Without telling it to, my small hand reached out and grabbed hold of his. He yanked his hand back quickly.

"Keh…all you have to say is 'yes', don't go grabbing my hand like that…"

I remember now. This was one of my brightest childhood memories. I could feel my face smiling. "Ok then, yes! Can I hold your hand _now_?"

"No!"

"Why not? We're friends now right? Friends hold hands…."

"Then hold hands with Sango! She's your friend too, right?"

I stared across the tiny elementary school playground at my friend as she harassed a small Miroku, and then glared back at Inuyasha. "She's busy right now, so _you _have to hold my hand."

I reached back out and grabbed his claw-tipped hand, this time not letting it jerk away. A triumphant smile lit my face as I twined our arms together. "See? This isn't so bad is it? Now let's pretend we're on an adventure, and you're protecting me from all the evil demons. Kay?"

"Stupid girl," he grumbled, "how am I supposed to protect you if you're attached to my arm like this?"

I released his arm and danced away. "Silly, I won't always be attached to your arm, a demon will snatch me away eventually. See?" I squealed and pretended to be trapped by an evil youkai (that was actually a large tree) and stretched my hands out to Inuyasha.

"Now come save me…"

He laughed. "You're so strange Kagome!"

"Just do it!" I pouted.

"Fine, fine…" He leapt at the tree and scraped his claws across the section just above my head. "You're safe now…Hey wait!"

Another tree had taken me into its evil clutches. "Hurry Inuyasha! You're too slow! Look it's killing me!"

He leapt at the tree, but I'd already dashed to the next one. "Help meee!"

We went from tree to tree, Inuyasha finally being able to save me when we reached the last one on the playground. I grabbed his hand and this time he didn't shrug me away. "Good job! When we get older you can be my bodyguard, okay Inuyasha? You have to be sure no other demon snatches me away…"

I grinned, unbelievably happy.

And then the dream shifted. I suddenly found myself standing with an older Inuyasha. My brow furrowed as an unseen force began to pull me away from him, causing our clasped hands to slide apart. I faintly registered that a strong pair of arms were wrapped around my shoulders, keeping me from running back to Inuyasha. I called out to him, suddenly panicking, sure that another demon from our childhood game was snatching me away. "Hurry up! You're being to slow! Come get me back!"

Inuyasha started after me, a furious expression on his face meant for the evil demon who was probably smirking over my shoulder. But then he stopped and turned to glance behind him. Kikyo was standing there, holding his hand, forcing him to stop. I called out again, a little more desperate this time. "Inuyasha! Hurry!"

He glanced back around at the sound of my voice, but I already knew what was about to happen, I could see it in his eyes. He was going to abandon me. This time, I wasn't going to be saved. A sick feeling had lodged in the pit of my stomach and I began breathing hard. This was not good…something was wrong. I struggled against the arms that were starting to pull me further and further from Inuyasha. "No! Let me go! _Inuyasha_!"

I felt a tear slip down my cheek.

"Please," I cried out weakly. "Help me!"

I was forced to watch as Inuyasha glanced at me one last time before turning back to Kikyo and walking away.

My body sagged in defeat, as tears streamed down my face. The happy feeling from earlier was completely gone. It was all over. I had lost. She had won. Like always.

The arms that had me trapped began shaking me impatiently, and I suddenly became angry. _Who did this demon think he was? Pulling me away and allowing Kikyo take Inuyasha…_

I snapped my head up, annoyed by the shaking, and found myself staring into a pair of dark blue eyes.

"Kagome? Kagome listen to me!"

My gaze went blurry as I tried to focus on Koga's face. I was back in the classroom. The dream, no _nightmare_, was over…and apparently so was lunch. I gulped down a few deep breaths, trying to steady myself and fight the overwhelming sick feeling that horrid dream had left in its wake. "Koga?" I croaked.

"Thank God, you're finally responding…" he whispered, "you were crying while you slept…Are you okay?"

I raised a hand to my face and felt the wetness that was dripping down my cheeks. _Am I okay?_

No… far from it, actually.

…especially after a dream like that.

Mr. Mitsu was droning on at the front of the classroom and it didn't take me long to realize that class was once again in session. On either side of me, my classmates were preparing to take notes, and I knew that a few seats behind me _he_ was too.

Koga leaned away from me, and I numbly reached up to wipe my wet cheeks.

I still felt like crap. My whole body was covered in a light sheen of sweat.

The room suddenly spun as I raised my head from my desk to look up to the board. I swallowed hard, as if that could help steady everything. Water. I needed some water. I stood up, my seat clattering behind me and making enough noise to cause Mr. Mitsu to jump. He turned around, searching for the source of the interruption.

"Miss Higurashi?"

"Water…," I croaked, clinging to my desk as the room spun even more. In fact, right now everything was sideways. "I-I need some water," I repeated, my voice a little stronger.

"Lunch just ended. Why didn't you get some then?" asked Mr. Mitsu, his lips pursed.

I ground my teeth. "Because I wasn't thirsty _then._ But I am_ now_, so please allow me to get some water…"

"Sit down Higurashi. I don't like that tone of voice you're using with me…"

No. I was not going to _sit down_. I needed some water. My body was burning up and my throat was parched.

I started toward the door, leaning on the desks I passed to keep my balance. People began to murmur.

"Higurashi! I said sit down! Where do you think you're going?"

"I'm going… to get… some water." I ground out, panting a little. I'd reached the front of the room and was contemplating the easiest way to the door, trying to find things to hold on to. Mr. Mitsu strode around his desk, a murderous look on his face.

Uh oh.

I clenched my teeth and released the edge of the nearest desk, instinct telling me to get away as quickly as possible. In an instant I knew I had made a mistake. I was halfway to the door when darkness began encroaching on my vision, black spots appearing everywhere.

"Crap…," I blurted as my knees buckled. I passed out before I even hit the ground. The last thing I heard were the startled gasps of my classmates and the sound of dozens of chairs scraping back as people stood to look at my crumpled body.

* * *

I couldn't understand the words that were being whispered around me, and I had absolutely no idea where I was. All I knew was that I was being hoisted into somebody's arms, my head lolling like a rag doll.

My eyelids were too heavy to open, and my mouth felt as dry as the Sahara desert, but I was determined to tell whoever was carrying me that I needed water.

All I managed were a couple of moans.

The person cradled my head against his chest (it definitely wasn't a girl's chest I was pressed against) and sped up.

Thoughts of water disappeared from my mind as I slipped back into unconsciousness.

* * *

I didn't know how much time had passed.

My eyes were still tightly closed, and my mouth was even drier than before. I was able to, with sheer will power alone, muster up enough energy and demand some water. The person who was still carrying me set me down on something soft and seconds later I felt a cup press to my lips. I couldn't seem to make my mouth work right though, and this frustrated me because I could feel the soothing water dripping down my chin.

The cup was taken away, but I still _so_ thirsty.

That's probably why I didn't protest when my mouth was suddenly pried open by a pair of soft lips. Water flooded into me as I drank from the other person greedily. When they pulled away I complained until their lips met mine again and forced the deliciously cool water down my throat.

When my raging thirst was finally assuaged, I felt my body begin to relax. A mound of warm blankets pressed down on me and a cool hand rested against my head, probably checking my temperature. It felt good.

I had no idea where I was, or who was stroking their cool hand against my forehead…but there was one thing I was _certain_ about: _I was definitely sick_.

-End-

* * *

I came back and revised this chapter. The first time I wrote it, I kept randomly changing first person tenses and it got on my nerves _so _bad… so I came back and fixed it. Hopefully this chapter flows a little better now. :)

Read-N-Review!

Thanks!

-_RedThread_


	17. Gone

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha…unfortunately…**

* * *

Chapter 17: Gone

-Start—

A cool wisp of air brushed against the heated flesh of my shoulder, causing me to startle awake. For which I was thankful. I had absolutely no desire to sleep. Every time I slipped from consciousness, that same unpleasant dream plagued me over and over; the one where Inuyasha abandoned me.

And every time I wake up from that dream, those same despairing emotions that I feel as I experience it _over and over_ linger within me. Talk about depression…

I reached out weakly to my bedside stand and grabbed the small cup that sat there, hoping a calming sip of water would allow me to relax a little. Apparently I'd been slipping in and out of sleep for the last 3 days. And believe me, these last 3 days had been nothing but hell. What between the dreams and a raging fever, I was surprised I could even recall that it had _been _3 days.

"Oh, you're awake."

My eyes flitted over to my doorway and silently acknowledged the somber wolf demon standing there. I swallowed another long gulp of water before beckoning him over to my bed. The short silence was broken by a satisfied "smack" of my lips. I replaced the empty cup on the stand and cleared my throat.

"Hey," I croaked. Ugh, I sounded horrible. My throat was sore, thanks to all the mucus that had been draining down it. Koga settled on the edge of my bed and plopped his backpack on the ground next to his feet.

"So how ya doing? You look like crap."

"I feel like crap."

He snorted at my blunt reply. "I guess those go hand in hand, huh? The doctor been by yet?"

"He's coming around 5."

"Oh." Koga looked down, as though struggling to find the proper way to say something. I found his antics comforting, and realized that I was glad to see him. He was the first person from school I had spoken with since Tuesday. Not even Sango had come by to visit.

But then again, maybe she had…

My version of the last three days included sleeping, eating, sleeping, peeing, sleeping, doctor at 5, and then more sleep. So who knows…my whole frickin' class could have come without me even being aware of it.

But I was starting to feel the effects of lying in bed for three whole days. My muscles were complaining from disuse and I needed a bath dreadfully. Koga's poor nose was probably being overridden by the stench of unwashed girl.

"Hey, Koga?"

His head snapped up. "Yeah?"

"I'm sorry we can't perform today… It's all my fault, since I'm sick and whatnot."

"Well, I'm not going to deny what's true…It is your fault…"

I glared at him.

"BUT," he continued hastily, "I completely understand."

My glare softened. "What about Ginta and Hakkaku? Are they mad at me?"

He laughed, and my mood brightened at the sound of it. "Those two? I think they're secretly relieved. Truth be known, the gig we were supposed to perform today had them freaking out… Maybe it's because this was supposed to be our first official gig as a hired band." He shrugged. "But who knows with them…"

_Well that's good._ _At least the whole band isn't mad at me._

"Kagome?"

"What?"

Koga sighed and fiddled with his headband. He'd taken his demon ring off when he'd entered my house so he was in his natural youkai form. His halting blue eyes met mine. "Don't do that again…"

I stared at him blankly. "Don't do what again?"

"Faint!"

"Well geez, it's not like I meant to!"

He grabbed my shoulders gruffly, forcing me to stare into his eyes. "Look," he growled, "the point is, it scared me. Even with my demon ring on, I could practically smell sickness rolling off of you in waves."

"The doctor said it's just a cold, Koga…"

"Uh, Kagome, the last time I checked people didn't _faint_ from the common cold. Something else is wrong with you, and you know it. What else did the doctor say?"

I slid my arms out of his hands and huddled under my blanket tiredly. "He said my body was over stressed. And when you throw a cold into the mix, apparently it's enough to put your body into lockdown mode." I paused. The doctor had also said that my diet was poor, and that I hadn't been eating enough to nourish my body properly. But Koga didn't need to know that. When I stressed, I didn't eat. I'd get over it soon. "That's all he said."

Koga leaned away from me, his eyes slit thoughtfully. "So what has you so stressed?"

I rolled over and faced the wall, breaking eye contact with him. "Nothing," I mumbled. Which was a lie. We both knew _exactly_ what I was stressing over…or more like _who_ I was stressing over.

The silence between us stretched for a second, before Koga suddenly stood. "I'll get you some more water."

A thought, or more like a hazy memory, struck me at the mention of water, and I found myself blushing. "Hey Koga," I called. I rolled over so I was facing the doorway and could see his face properly. "Um…thanks for—for giving me water." He quirked an eyebrow. "You know…the day I fainted," I clarified.

He coughed and shifted uncomfortably. "Uh, actually, that wasn't me."

I stared at him in confusion. "If it wasn't you, then who…?"

"Guess."

He abruptly disappeared from my doorway, leaving me in confusion. I struggled to bring back the fuzzy memory from 3 days ago, but all I could recall was the wonderful feeling of having my thirst quenched. My eyes had been closed so there was only so much I could remember. But the gentle way the person had handled me during those few woozy moments of consciousness had automatically given me the impression that it was Koga.

_**Please **__don't tell me it was Mr. Mitsu…_

My thoughts trailed off with a shudder as I forced myself to think of other, more optimistic, possibilities… And then it hit me.

_No…No way…_

I flipped my blanket off my torso as my body suddenly grew hot. My shallow breaths morphed into angry pants.

_No!..._

I was pissed.

My body shook as a sudden bout of coughing took over and I closed my eyes dizzily. _Calm down Kagome. Just wait for Koga to come back…Maybe you're completely wrong about this…_

I flinched as a cool hand pressed against my hot head, instantly soothing me. "Apparently you figured out who gave you the water. I don't know anybody else that could cause your temperature to shoot up that fast…," Koga smirked.

I threw him a dirty look as I propped myself up against some pillows and took the cup he was offering. "Did you watch him do it?"

"What? Give you the water?"

I nodded over the rim of the cup.

"Had to. He practically ripped you out of my arms and forced it down your throat…"

I slammed the cup down on the bedside stand. "I would rather have gone without…," I growled.

"That's not what you were saying at the time…"

"Well _at the time_ I was a sick and delirious."

"And you needed water," Koga countered.

"Are you _defending _him?"

He pushed my shoulders so that I was resting against my pillows again. My anger had caused me to sit up.

"Listen Kagome, you needed water. And you weren't exactly cooperating when I pressed the cup to your lips… What other option was there?"

"Why did _he _have to do it though?"

Koga shrugged. "He thought of it first."

"I wish you'd done it," I scowled. "Then I wouldn't feel like I owe him something."

"Pfft…If you ask me, _he_ owed _you_…"

My eyes snapped to his. "Huh? What do you mean?"

Koga shifted on the bed, folding one leg up while the other dangled off the side. "Isn't Inuyasha the whole reason you got sick in the first place?"

I stared at him, thinking hard. _He's right…_ Monday I had run all the way to Koga's house through the rain …all because Inuyasha had pointedly refused to let me have his extra umbrella. It really was his fault. _And Inuyasha knows how sick I get after being in the rain too long…we used to play in it all the time when we were younger…_

I didn't know what to make of the situation anymore. I mean, had Inuyasha caused me to get sick _on purpose_? But then, if he did, why would he bother in helping me get better? I looked up at Koga tiredly, the adrenaline rush from my fit of anger dying down. "I'm so confused."

"Same here."

I offered a weak smile at the wolf demon, glad to know I wasn't the only one lost in all this ridiculous chaos. "Thank you, Koga. I don't think you realize how much you've helped me at times like these." My eyes shifted down. "I feel like you're the only friend I have left. I've even managed to make Sango mad at me…" Because wouldn't she have visited by now if she wasn't mad at me? I felt a dry sob heave my body, the weight of everything crashing down on me.

I sobbed harder as Koga reached out and enfolded me in his arms. "Why?" I complained brokenly. "Why did everything have to change?" I wrapped my arms around Koga in return, as though he would suddenly slip away like everybody else had.

"I'm here Kagome, everything's okay," he whispered.

He was a liar. Nothing was okay. Life as I had known it for seventeen years had managed to completely alter within the course of a few months. All the people that had constantly been in my life were suddenly gone.

"You'll leave too, won't you? I'll do something stupid, and you'll get angry, and then I'll end up all alone!"

"Shh, Kagome…calm down…I think your temperature has spiked again. Let me get the thermometer." He started to pull away, and I buried my face in his chest, shaking my head.

"Don't leave me Koga."

"I'm not Kagome. The thermometer is right there on the table. Just let me reach over there to get it…Look, I'll hold your hand while I do it, so just lay back and relax." Koga lowered me back gently, settling me against the pillows, his hand tightly intertwined with mine the whole time.

I took a few shuddering breaths before Koga forced the thermometer into my mouth and quietly pressed his hand to my forehead.

"Geez Kagome…you're burning up," he mumbled. I groaned in response, and closed my eyes as the thermometer started to beep. He drew it out of my mouth and frowned at the number. "101.5."

My eyelids felt heavy from crying, but tears were still trickling out, slowly dripping down my face. I was so tired. Tired of everything. My life was like a constant nightmare with no one to shake me awake. Koga's hand gently squeezed mine, and I could feel his fingertips brush across my damp cheeks. My body instantly relaxed at his touch.

"Kagome," he whispered, "you know I'm always here for you right?"

I squeezed his hand in answer, too tired to speak. I held on to him until I could feel myself drifting away.

For the first time in a week, I slept without dreaming.

* * *

At 5:00 the doctor came.

He said I needed to stay in the bed for at least 2 more days. And he told me to eat… but I wasn't hungry for anything, so I ate nothing.

Koga was gone, but he'd left his headband on my pillow.

Soon as the doctor left, I fell asleep again, Koga's headband clasped in my hand.

* * *

Sometime during the night I heard a distinctive thud, like the sound of someone landing on the balls of their feet. The noise was only enough to barely wake me, and after listening to nothing but silence for a few strained seconds, I flopped back onto my pillow.

Minutes later, just as I was drifting off to sleep again, I heard the distinctive sounds of somebody _sniffing. _Seeing as I was only half awake, I was able to convince myself that my temperature must have spiked again and therefore I was in another one of my delirious states.

I clutched Koga's headband closer to myself and rested calmly as the feeling of his hand on my forehead returned. It felt so real. Regardless of whether it was real or not, it was comforting, and I was asleep in seconds.

* * *

The next morning when I awoke, I couldn't find his headband anywhere. Not under the covers, in my pillowcase, or even on the floor around my bed….

It was almost as if somebody had taken it.

-End-

* * *

Huzzah! I finished a chapter within a decent amount of time!

And guess what? Cross Country ends next weekend, so that means I'll soon have _tons_ more time to work on both my stories. :)

Yayz! And btw…

Leave a review! I love hearing what you all have to say… :D

Thanks!

_-RedThread _


	18. To Be Summoned

Happy Halloween! :D Here's another chapter…

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha…

* * *

Chapter 18: To Be Summoned

-Start—

I didn't go back to school until that Wednesday, even though by Monday morning I was practically begging Mama to let me go. The doctor had given his okay (so long as school didn't cause my stress levels to shoot up again) and I was definitely more than willing to get out of the house. I mean, even though I hated to admit it, school was the only thing that still had a bit of normalcy to it...

…Or so I thought.

By the time I walked through the double doors and into the cafeteria on Wednesday morning, I was panting heavily. The walk to school had exhausted me. I propped myself against a lunch table for a second, gulping down oxygen. The cool November air had put some color into my cheeks, but my lungs felt like they were on fire.

I tucked a wayward strand of hair behind my ear and took a glance around the loud room, trying to look natural and un-winded. Upon spying me, a group of freshmen immediately tucked themselves into a small group, like a fortified castle, and began whispering. I set my jaw and looked away.

_Greeeaaaat…Apparently the whole school knows about my little incident... _

I began walking again, leaving the secretive voices and piercing stares behind. I strode down the hallway, determination lengthening my stride. People turned away from me as if I carried the plague.

_Yes, instead of pity and worried inquiries, I get the cold shoulder. _I rolled my eyes. _Figures…_

Yup. No normalcy here. Zip. Zero. Zilch. None….What had I been thinking, expecting any sort of normalcy at this school?

I took my time at my locker, half hoping that maybe Sango would show up. She didn't. But then why would she? I was obviously considered a freak…and who was friends with a freak? I slammed my locker shut, venting my frustration in the form of violence, and began walking hurriedly towards Mr. Mitsu's room.

I stepped into the classroom silently and headed straight for my desk.

As expected, my classmates immediately divided into little groups and began whispering, the bolder ones simply staring at me. I lowered myself into my seat, daring anyone to make a comment. A couple of girls whispered behind me.

"Heard she's got some kind of sexually transmitted disease."

"Really?"

"Well it makes sense…What kind of cold keeps you out of school for more than a week?"

I fumed. _Who the hell started __**that**__ rumor? I mean come on…if I had a sexually transmitted disease I'd probably be out of school way longer than a week..._ But truthful or not, people would only hear what they wanted to hear. I was a juicy piece of gossip and they weren't about to let me get away unscathed.

"Why ya so tense Kagome?"

I unclenched my fists and attempted to smile at Koga, knowing that it probably looked more like a grimace. "No reason," I said through clenched teeth. The wolf demon (currently in human form) slumped into his desk and held a hand to my forehead.

"Relax Kagome. If you let them stress you out, you'll just get sick again."

"Do you _hear_ what they're _saying?" _My cool façade was broken. "How can I _not_ get stressed out?"

He drew his had away and cocked an eyebrow. "Well, is any of it true?" he asked.

"No!" I hissed. "Of course not!"

"Then don't worry about it. As long as you know the truth, you shouldn't care about what they think."

But I did care. Most of my school life I had been known as the "Smart Girl"; the girl that passed all her tests and always followed the rules. My transformation from Smart Girl, to Semi- Rock Star, and now to The Girl- With- A- Sexually- Transmitted- Disease was too radical for me.

"Just smile and act like you normally do," Koga continued. "In a week, the whole thing will blow over."

But what if it didn't? What if I was known as The Girl- With- A- Sexually- Transmitted- Disease for the rest of my high school career? I would be shunned, ignored…alone. _That's right, Kagome, just keep piling on the stress…_ I took a deep breath, holding it in as long as possible before forcing it out. _Right… _I sucked in another deep breath. _I just need to chill out and listen to Koga. I'm totally overreacting…Nothing they say matters to me…Let them do their worse…I can handle it…_

"Uh Kagome? Ya gonna let that breath out? You're turning an unhealthy shade of purple…I know you're upset, but killing yourself isn't exactly the best option here."

I released the breath with a laugh and schooled my features into seriousness. "Hmm…Perhaps you are right."

Mr. Mitsu pointedly cleared his throat in our direction. "Miss Higurashi...We are glad to have you back, but don't think you are now an exception to the classroom rules. I expect you to take notes on this lecture. You've missed a lot, and so…," he quickly drew a thick stack of papers off his desk and transferred them to mine, "your makeup work has stacked up." He turned away. "It's due by Friday, Higurashi."

Koga and I stared at the small mountain of paper perched on my desk corner.

"Alright," Koga whispered, "_now_ you can kill yourself."

* * *

I lingered in between the lunch tables awkwardly, not sure what to do. My usual table was filled with the usual people, sitting in their usual seats, eating lunch and goofing off…as usual. But my spot was gone. The space that I had always occupied next to Sango was now occupied by somebody else, and my best friend wouldn't even glance at me… I ignored the small snub as best I could and desperately searched the cafeteria for Koga and the others.

"Look, she's about to cry."

I whipped around, nearly flinging my food everywhere, and frowned at wolf demons sitting behind me. They'd probably watched my silent torment this whole time. "You three are horrible."

Koga grinned and made room for me by pushing Hakkaku down a seat. "You should be more observant. We've sat at this table all year, and its _right_ _behind _yours."

"I _knew_ that," I snapped.

"Of course you did."

I sat my tray down and stared at the discolored food, feeling what little appetite I had ebb away completely.

"Eat Kagome."

I frowned at Koga and then back down at my food. "But _look_ at it! I can't even decide what it is."

"Too bad. You have to eat it."

"Says who?"

"Says me… As your band leader."

"And who made _you_ leader?"

"Popular sovereignty," he replied smartly. "Ginta and Hakkaku voted for me, so therefore I was unanimously chosen as Leader."

"Why wasn't I told about this 'vote'?" I asked.

"Because it happened before you joined. Now stop trying to distract me and eat."

"But why shou-,"

He growled threateningly. "Kagome..."

I diverted my eyes, like a properly scolded child. "Yes, _mother,_" I mumbled.

"What was that?"

"Huh? What was what?" I quickly busied myself with picking at my food, choosing only what I thought were the 'safest' bits. Still, I barely ate anything, even under Koga's critical gaze. He blew his bangs in exasperation and sighed as we made our way back to class.

"You barely ate enough to feed a _bird_," he complained. "You're going to have to get over this no eating thing real quick, because I can't have an anorexic singer. My band just doesn't roll that way."

I laughed. "Me? Anorexic? That's a joke right? Look, I'm laughing."

Koga grinned. "Well if not your appetite, at least your personality has returned to normal." He blew his bangs again. "By the way, do you think it's possible I could get my headband back? It's been sorely missed."

"Yeah, about that…"

"What?"

I decided to be blunt. "I can't find it. It seems to have, uh, disappeared."

Koga's eyes narrowed. "What the—It seems to have _disappeared_? Kagome, headbands don't just randomly decide to up and vanish. It has to be in your room somewhere."

I shrugged. "Seriously, I can't find it. You can come and look if you want, but I'm willing to bet it won't show up."

"Damn," he muttered. "That one was my favorites. Didn't make my head itch like all the others."

"It _was_ soft," I agreed. "But hey, let me buy you a new one, okay? I lost that one, so it's only fair that I replace it."

Koga crossed his arms in consideration. "Hmm, should I trust you with the task of picking a suitable headband for me? For some reason my sixth sense is telling me _no_…"

"Well," I said as we sat down in our desks, "you can tell that _sixth sense_ to shut it. I am _perfectly_ capable of picking out a headband, and it will be 10 times _better_ than the previous one."

Koga smirked at my challenge. "I'll be the judge of that."

* * *

The school day had finally ended, and as I trudged up the shrine stairs, I couldn't help but think that it could have been worse. Aside from the nasty rumors and being ignored by Sango, the day had seemed completely normal.

I stopped to catch my breath, wheezing a little.

I'd also managed to pay no attention to Inuyasha …with very little effort on my part. It was like my subconscious was refusing to let me look at him, lest I be thrown into that nightmare again. But how long would I be able to keep ignoring him? I'd have to face him eventually. If not at school, then around our families.

I thought about what Koga had told me the other day, of how Inuyasha had provided me with water when I was sick, and once again found myself thoroughly confused by his actions.

I started up the stairs again, still pondering over the situation in my head.

_And what does Kikyo think about all this? Does she even know? _I raised a hand to my lips, remembering how he had gently pried them open with his own.

"Kagome! Quick! Go to the bottom of the stairs and get in the black car! I'll tell your Mom we're going shopping!"

I stared stupidly at the brown blur that shot pass me. "Koga? What the heck?" All I could see was the disappearing tail of his brown jacket as he crested the steep hill of steps. _Get in the black car at the bottom of the stairs? Is that what he said? _

Koga was already descending the stairs again, his demon form allowing him to go faster. "What're you doing? We've gotta go!"

Still utterly confused and drained from my trek _up_ the stairs, I was unable to resist when Koga scooped me up and took off _down_ the stairs, leaving my poor backpack behind on the steps. It wasn't until we were situated in the back of a suspicious looking black car that I finally got my mouth to work.

"What the heck is going on? Whose car is this? And who is that strange man driving?" The car lurched forward. "And where the heck is he _taking_ us?"

I stared wide-eyed at Koga, waiting for him to immediately answer all of my questions. Ginta and Hakkaku sat next to him, looking just as confused.

"We've been summoned….," he said, looking straight ahead, "…to Naraku."

* * *

Down the mildewy stairs, under the rusty lights, through the dark bar, and into the sound proof room where Naraku was waiting. It was a path I was starting to call familiar.

The four of us were currently sitting across from the creepy man, waiting for him to explain why we had been 'summoned'. My fingers were curled up with anxiety. We had probably been called in because we had failed to perform last Friday…and that was all my fault.

"So I heard your gig was cancelled last Friday," Naraku began. "I have to say I'm quite disappointed."

_I knew it! Bad things are about to happen…I'm sorry everybody!_

Naraku pinned me with his gaze and I immediately shriveled under it. "Your petty human sickness is what caused the cancellation, is it not?"

I nodded.

"I can't have your frail human body causing such complications… so therefore," the man paused and pulled open a drawer. _He's probably pulling out a gun to finish off my __**frail human body...**__ I'll be disposed of and out of the way. No complications there. Or better yet, it's a knife and he's going to slit my throat and watch as the light fades from my __**pathetic human **__ey- _

My macabre thoughts were suddenly cut short as Naraku tossed a small box at me. I quickly caught the flying object and stared across at him suspiciously, waiting for an explanation.

"…therefore I am giving you this ring. Try it on," he ordered.

I snapped open the little box and gasped at the small ring that was sitting inside, nestled in a bed of purple velvet. I slowly drew the pink diamond encrusted ring out and traced the rounded sides with my fingers.

"I don't have all day. Put it on girl."

My eyes snapped away from the glittery object in my hands and stared at Naraku in confusion. _How is this going to help my frail human body? _I watched Naraku's eyes darken in impatience and I immediately slipped the ring on to appease him.

And then the most remarkable thing happened.

I began to change.

My senses sharpened, my fingernails lengthened, and my hair was now well below my waist. I could feel the weight of it falling down my back. My eyes fluttered close as the sudden tingling that had begun in my body disappeared.

"Good."

My eyes snapped open at Naraku's suddenly loud voice, and I immediately squished them closed again as the sudden brightness of the room blinded me.

"Kag- Kagome?"

I could tell it was Koga speaking this time. Ginta and Hakkaku were also murmuring, but I ignored their voices and slowly forced my eyes open.

"It should take some time to get use to the effects of the transformation. Of course she'll have to wear the ring often to be truly comfortable in this form. Tell me Kagome, how does it feel to be youkai?"

I squinted at the dark man that sat across his desk, smirking at me in a very self- satisfied way. I furrowed my brow in confusion. "Youkai? What?"

Koga suddenly stood, the scraping of his chair making my eardrums hurt. "That ring," he said, "is like the opposite of the rings the government makes us wear to school isn't it? It's one of the rare Demon Rings that will allow a human to take on the guise of a demon." I stared down at my finger, where said ring was currently resting.

"Precisely," Naraku replied. "And just like the Human Rings that you must wear to school, this Demon Ring gives Kagome the features and senses of a demon. Right now her strength, speed, and healing ability are that of a full blooded wolf demon. When she takes the ring off, she will return to her human state."

My eyesight was returning to normal…if you could call it that. Everything around me seemed to be so much sharper, every detail apparent, every color brighter. It was as though I'd put on a wonderful pair of glasses. I turned my eyes to Koga as he continued to converse with Naraku.

"But why would you give her a Demon Ring? Aren't they extremely expensive and ridiculously hard to come by?"

Naraku tilted his head back and studied the wolf demon through half-lidded eyes. "Why do you question me? If this ring is as expensive and rare as you are making it out to be, why not just go along with my decision, and simply let the girl have it?"

"Because," Koga said carefully, "I want to know your motives. I mean, why don't you take the ring for yourself?"

"That is simple," Naraku said softly. "The ring only works on humans, and I am but _half_- human."

"Then what do you gain by allowing Kagome to wear it? Surely there is more of a reason than just the fact that it makes her body stronger."

I watched the man carefully as he leaned back in his chair, his eyes once again showing signs of impatience. I couldn't really understand the sensation, but it was almost as if I could _smell_ his impatience too. Naraku sighed.

"If you really must know, I consider your band an important investment. I believe that you guys have the ability to go far if you truly want to. And by giving Kagome this Demon Ring, that also allows her to become a 'wolf demon' like the rest of the band, I am simply keeping my investment safe. Whether you have realized it or not, this ring will provide Kagome not only a stronger body to resist illnesses, but also a disguise."

_He's right…and with a disguise like this, not only will I be safe from paparazzi and the like, but safe from Mama too…_

"And with Kagome safe and healthy," Naraku continued, "everybody wins. Your band will continue to be sought after and, in turn, that will result in more paying clients for me. You do know that I am your manager now? I, of course, get 40% of the profit you make for setting you up to make that profit in the first place."

"40% percent!" Koga shouted.

Naraku simply smirked. "This is a symbiotic relationship, Koga. Mutualistic, if you may. You need me and I need you, in the end we both benefit."

Koga was still glowering over the fact that more than a third of our profit would go to this guy, but I could tell that he understood we needed him… Right now Naraku was our ticket to fame. He would provide us with the connections we needed to get into the big leagues.

"And speaking of, as your manager, I've already planned your next gig. 'The Will to Kill' will be performing this weekend at the Fall Fair in Kyoto." Koga reached out to take the thick envelope Naraku was holding out. "You will perform three times on Saturday and three more on Sunday. I will provide the transportation and money for the trip…though I expect to be paid back in full by the end of the weekend…Additional details are included in the packet."

Naraku laced his fingers together and settled his chin on top of them. "Are there any more questions? I am quite ready for you four to be out of here…"

Koga and the others remained silent, looking at me to see if I had any last requests from our manager. I looked down at my claw tipped hands.

"Right…," I said. "Can I have a mirror?"

-End—

* * *

Another update in a decent amount of time! I'm so proud of myself! This chapter was quite fun to write, and I feel pretty good about it. Recently I took the time to sit down and finish the outline for this story…So now updates should continue to be quick because I have the whole entire story planned out.

I'm so excited about the upcoming chapters you guys! Stay with me because things are about to get interesting…

Read N Review!

Thanks!

-_RedThread_


	19. An Unexpected Development

Sorry for the wait… :) I apologize. BUT! You guys have to forgive me, because this chapter is way longer than most of my recent ones have been… :D

Enjoy. :D

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha

* * *

Chapter 19: An Unexpected Development

-Start-

The rest of the week flew by…

…the ride to Kyoto, did not.

And I was about to go crazy.

Being crammed in the back of a small, four door car was not my idea of comfortable. I was packed in between Ginta and Hakkaku, so close that I couldn't even shift to keep my butt from going to sleep. The feeling (or lack thereof) of _not _feeling your butt isn't a pleasant one…believe me.

The almighty Koga sat in front, alongside the driver, leering back at us with a grin. "So how you guys doing back there?"

The triple death stare he received only made him grin wider, exposing the tips of his fangs. "Only 45 more minutes… hang in there."

My moan was accompanied by Ginta and Hakkaku's growls as we rolled our eyes in annoyance. "_Only_ 45 more minutes!" I stated sarcastically. "Look Koga, if I don't move my butt within the next _10 _minutes, the whole _lower half_ of my body is going to be paralyzed due to poor blood circulation…"

"Will you still be able to sing?"

"Koga, I will _sue _you if I lose mobility from the waist down," I threatened. "Then, not only will you have no singer…you will also have no money. Now make the driver stop."

"So harsh," he mumbled as he turned back toward the front. Our driver immediately veered toward the next exit, and pulled into a gas station minutes later. A collective sigh was heard as the three of us in the back practically fell out of the car.

"Ah! Thank God! I can still move!"

Koga appeared next to me with his arms crossed, his stance clearly stating how inconvenient this stop was for him. "Happy?"

"That I can still _move_?Very much so…," I replied. "And now," I added haughtily, "I'm off to use the restroom." I started to walk away, but Koga grabbed my wrist and sharply pulled me back. He hooked a claw under the thin silver chain that hung around my neck.

"Not without this on…"

I glanced down at the small ring dangling from the linked necklace. _Right._ It had been decided that whenever I was in public with the band I had to appear in youkai form, otherwise the whole idea of even having a disguise would be pointless. I shrugged. "Fine."

I quickly unhooked the chain from around my neck and pushed the ring over my finger, allowing the change to pulse through me in soft waves. Koga hissed. "Kagome! You can't just put it on right here in the parking lot. Somebody could see you!"

But I was too far into the transformation to care. Koga shielded me as best he could.

I scrunched my nose in distaste as the strong smell of gas flooded my senses, and gazed around, my eyesight adjusting almost immediately this time. Of course, it was _quite_ hard to see anything around Koga's broad back. "Gack!" I complained. "How can you stand such a strong smell?" He turned around to face me.

"I've smelled worse. You'll get used to it…"

I was practically choking on the fumes. "Not likely…"

Koga scrunched his own nose and pushed me toward the building. "Then hurry up. The quicker you go, the quicker we can get out of here."

I shed my jacket, pleased to note that the cold air didn't seem to affect me, and headed for the small store. The instant I pushed through the double doors, the warm smells of cappuccino and coffee hit me, fused with the delicious scents of beef jerky and snack foods. I inhaled deeply before following the signs that pointed in the direction of the bathroom, deciding that this aroma was much preferred to that of gas.

I had yet to get used to the smell of "people" though. As I passed a group of shoppers, I was pelted with at least 5 different scents, each accompanied by a chaotic jumble of emotions and each belonging to a different person. My head began to spin with the sudden barrage and I quickly pushed through the bathroom door, hoping to escape them.

But in my haste, I didn't realize someone was exiting just as I was entering. The woman and I thudded into one another, the strong fragrance of violets and worry radiating from her making my head spin even more. We clumsily grabbed onto anything we could, trying to steady ourselves before we both ended up on the floor.

I glanced across at the lady, a quick apology on my lips. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean t-" My words were suddenly cut short as I stared into the face of the last person I expected to see here, in a random gas station located in the middle of nowhere.

"Its fine," Kikyo said reassuringly. "It's my fault too. I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing. My mind was somewhere else completely …"

I continued to stare at her, trying to regain my composure. To say I was confused was an understatement._ What is she doing here, this far away from Tokyo? And alone for that matter… Did she drive herself? _A million questions swirled around in my head as I studied the girl in front of me. The worry I smelled wafting from her increased slightly.

"Are you okay? You seem a little shaken up."

I began to back away, waving my hands frantically. "No, no! I'm fine! I just," I nervously pointed towards the bathroom door that was somewhere behind me. "I need to…I was going… I mean…I'm sorry!" I pushed through the doorway in a flurry, trying to get away from Kikyo as fast as possible before I hit her with an onslaught of questions.

My feet carried me to the sinks, and I placed my hands in either side of one, staring into the mirror above it with wide eyes. I barely recognized the person staring back. My thoughts shifted slightly as I gazed at my reflection; waist-length, coal black hair, neatly pointed ears, a slightly tanner complexion. My eyes though…they were what immediately claimed my attention. Originally a dull brownish color, they were now a startling green, flecks of blue ringing the pupils.

My new appearance was stunning.

But I had other things weighing on my mind.

When my breathing had returned to normal I turned from the sinks and went into a stall to relieve myself, thoughts of Kikyo still consuming me. _Maybe she's visiting family…Didn't she use to live in Kyoto? _I quickly finished up and washed my hands, eager to tell Koga about what had happened.

* * *

"Bout time…," he growled from his position next to the bathroom door. "I thought I told you to hurry."

"You'll never guess who I ran into," I said, completely ignoring his impatient efforts to rush me back to that ridiculously cramped car. "Go on…take a guess." I casually made my way to the drink section and grabbed a Dr. Pepper, Koga following along behind. "You're paying for this by the way…," I gestured at him with the bottle as I stepped into checkout line.

"Fine," he groused, "let's just hurry up and get out of here before—Shit! Kagome! Wait come back!" Koga tried to tug me back down the drink aisle and out of sight.

But it was too late.

I had already seen him, and he was staring right back at me.

Inuyasha's gaze slid from mine as he joined the checkout line, just behind me and I could feel myself automatically stiffen. His scent slowly took over my senses. _Oh man…this isn't good. _He smelled of a distinct male spiciness that immediately intoxicated me; his emotions ranged from nervousness to curiosity. I resisted the urge to lean toward him and searched the room for Koga, who of course, was nowhere to be seen.

I frowned as the sharp smell of violets joined Inuyasha's spiciness. Kikyo. Great. So she wasn't alone after all. Now I just had to pray she didn't recogni-

"Hey…Aren't you the girl I ran into at the bathroom?"

Crud.

I turned around nervously. "Heh…yeah. Sorry about that." I tried not to look at Inuyasha.

A ghost of a smile played around Kikyo's lips as she turned to the hanyou, clearly about to explain what had happened. "You see, me and," she paused, and thought a second. "What did you say your name was again?"

My name. I needed a name. No way could I introduce myself as Kagome. It would be too easy for them to figure out who I was if they saw me with Koga. "Uh…My name…," I frantically tried to pull out a random name.

"This is Kyome… our new singer." I nearly collapsed in relief as Koga reappeared next to me and draped an arm across my shoulders.

"Keh…I thought I smelled something familiar. She has your stench all over her…"

Koga grinned back at Inuyasha good naturedly. "Of course she does. She _is_ my girlfriend after all."

_Wait…what?_

Kikyo seemed confused too. "I thought you and Kagome were together…"

Koga shrugged. "We are…But what she doesn't know can't hurt her, right?" He glanced down at me, smirking. I played along, ignoring the slight pang of hurt that fluttered in my chest. Which was totally unreasonable… Why should I feel hurt? It's not like me and Koga were actually _together…._and furthermore, even if we were, he was cheating on me with _me. _

Inuyasha's scent shifted to anger and I watched his gaze darken. "You _asshole_!"

One of Koga's eyebrows lifted, feigning innocence. "And why am I an asshole?"

Inuyasha's hands balled into fists, fury beginning to roll of him in thick waves. "How can you just dump her for another girl?"

The wolf demon grinned wickedly. "Oh, but I didn't. That's what _you_ did."

"That's what _I_ did?"

"You know damn well how Kagome feels about you, and yet you still ran to Kikyo." Kikyo backed away uneasily, the tone of their voices enough warning to tell her a fight was close at hand. I was held in place under the weight of Koga's arm…or perhaps I was unwilling to move. Either way, I was determined to hear what Inuyasha had to say about this.

"How she _feels_ about me?" he said incredulously. "The only thing she feels for _me_ is hate…," his ears drooped slightly, and I smelt something like a mixture of sorrow and regret drift from him before his emotions became unreadable as his face. "And that's the way it needs to stay."

_What? _I could feel my lips curl off my teeth in a snarl. _The way it needs to __**stay**__? What the hell is that supposed to mean? He __**wants**__ me to hate him?_ Koga's grip tightened as I struggled to break away, and he turned us, managing to pull off my sudden movement as an attempt to face the register. A five dollar bill was dropped on the counter before he started tugging me toward the doorway.

His cocky blue eyes locked onto Inuyasha's smoldering amber ones. "Yeah?" Koga taunted. "Well since she hates you, and you so obviously hate her, why don't you stay outta her business? Leave Kagome to me, mutt. I won't hurt her like you did…"

Inuyasha's face twisted into a furious expression as he gestured towards me. "And when she finds out about _this_?"

Koga smirked. "She won't."

"You _bastard_!"

By now the store clerk had become rather concerned about the welfare of his other customers. The man himself was youkai, and as he stepped in between the two bristling demons the tense atmosphere only became tenser. Their instinct (and mine) saw him as a new threat. I growled, surprising myself. The man simply growled back.

"Out," he ordered sharply. "There will be no fighting in my store. Both of you, out!"

Koga's predatory stance melted into one of nonchalance, and he drew me closer to his side, forcing me to relax as well.

"Next time dog-boy…"

Inuyasha's furious growl was cut off as the doors slammed shut behind us.

* * *

The remaining ride to Kyoto was quiet; Koga was lost in his own thoughts, frowning out of the window, and I was squished in the back, emitting angry waves of darkness that seemed to practically smother everyone else.

_I just don't get it…_ I fumed, oblivious to the others' suffering. _What is that idiot trying to accomplish by __**making**__ me hate him? I've practically known the jerk all my life, and I still can't understand him!_

Thoughts and suspicions were rioting around in my head, colliding, mixing, and then untangling to create even more chaos. I planted my elbows on my knees and slumped onto my upraised hands with a sigh. This is _not_ what I needed just before a concert.

* * *

All too soon we were being ushered out of the car and onto the fairgrounds; one hour left until show-time. The fair was due to officially open in about 30 minutes, leaving us only a little time to change and run sound checks. I was briefly drawn out of my dark musings as Koga tossed a duffel bag in my general direction. My youkai reflexes allowed me to snatch it neatly from the air.

"Change into that," he mumbled, turning back to his own bag. I stared down at the wolf demon, aware that he seemed unusually quiet. Obviously something about our run in with Inuyasha was bothering him too.

_Well…_ I headed toward a nearby restroom. _If he wants to talk about it, I'm sure he will. I'm not going to press him._

But in the back of my mind I knew we needed to talk about what had happened. Our upcoming performance would suck if two out of four of the band members weren't even focused on the concert…and Naraku had high expectations of us. It was probably in our best interests to live up to them.

I poked my head into the large restroom, delighted to find I had it all to myself.

My mind cleared as I quietly slipped into the soft brown dress that had been in the duffel bag, vaguely surprised that all of the wrinkles seemed to melt away. The supple material fell against my body, caressing it, almost like a second skin. I gave an experimental twirl, loving the way it fluttered against my thighs. Now all I needs were some shoes. I dug into the duffel bag, searching.

_What_, I pulled out two thick white strands of cloth, _are these?_ They spanned from my shoulder to the ground. _Some kind of belt maybe? Or bandages? Definitely not shoes…_

I folded them back into the bag, deciding that they didn't belong with the dress, and shoved my feet into the shoes I had worn on the way up here. _I'll have to ask Koga…_

By now a thin crowd of people had begun wondering around, and I vaguely noted that the gates of the fair must have been opened. By 1 this place would be full. I raised my nose, the smell of deep fried food and machine operated rides balancing out that of the people surrounding me. Thank goodness. If a small gas station with a few shoppers had been enough to make me dizzy, a whole _fair _full of people would have driven me insane…

Despite all my ranting about smells, I began to search for a particular one; a distinctive scent that could only be described as pine and leather. I breathed deeply and followed my nose, shortly finding myself behind the stage staring down at the person I'd been looking for.

Koga peered up from his perch on the stage stairs. I glanced to the platform behind him where Hakkaku and Ginta were busily checking cords and speakers. My eyes drifted back down to the wolf demon in front of me as he made a grunt of appreciation.

"The dress fits you perfectly I see."

I smiled softly and gathered some of the material in my hands. "I'm impressed that you managed to pick it out. Where did you find it?"

Koga shrugged and looked back down at his feet, hands preoccupied with tying his bindings just right. "It's my mother's. I figured if you were going to pretend to be a wolf demon, you might as well dress like one."

I sat down next to him. "So then this fabric is most likely…"

"Yup. It's made out of animal skin."

"I see."

"Does that bother you?"

I hesitated for a moment and his eyes met mine, humor clearly evident in them. "N-No…," I stuttered.

"It bothers you," he snorted, straightening up, finally done with his foot bindings. I was about to protest but was suddenly caught off guard as he grabbed one of my feet and hefted it up to his face. "And what the heck are these? Why didn't you wrap your feet like the rest of us?"

So _that's _what those white strips were for…

I crossed my arms and huffed. "Well it would help a great deal if I knew _how_…"

Koga had already dropped my foot and was digging out the bindings. "I'll show you. Take your shoes off."

I did as told and listened carefully as he instructed me on the proper way to bind one's feet. My toes wiggled happily from the ends as I stood up to walk around, pleased with the way it felt. "This is nice. I feel like I'm just walking around barefooted."

"Which is how most demons like it. The bindings are really just a hygienic issue. They keep your feet clean."

I lifted a foot up to peer at the bottom and the then snorted. "Pfft… wish Inuyasha knew that. He goes around barefoot all the time. By the end of the day he practically.. has to… scrape… the dirt… off…" The last of my sentence ended quietly, trailing off to nothing.

I stared down at my feet with wide eyes, in shock that I'd just said that. Had I been thinking about him _that_ much? As if I talked to him every day? Like we were still the closest of friends and I knew every little detail about him?

The instant Inuyasha's name had entered the air a tense silence had descended, and I mentally cursed myself. This was awkward.

"Koga…," I started.

He kept his face averted from mine, his jaw clenched.

"Listen…about what happened back at the gas station…" I chewed on my bottom lip. "I'm fine. I'm used to him acting like that now. Let's just… pretend it never happened. Our performance will be better if our minds are clear."

His head remained bowed so I was unable to see his expression. Was he angry? Was he mad because he didn't get to physically fight it out with Inuyasha? What had happened to make him so edgy about this situation? Perhaps he was just worried about me…

A few more seconds passed before his face finally lifted and his eyes connected with mine. "You're right…," he murmured. "And I'll be _damned_ before I let that bastard ruin our performance…"

I grinned at the familiar smirk on his face, and a tight spot in my chest loosened considerably. Koga suddenly leapt up, energy revived, and tossed a red cloak at me. I arched an eyebrow.

"You have to wear it," he stated. "It's like your signature now."

"Yeah, _Kagome's_ signature," I reminded him, "not Kyome's…"

"Stop pointing out minor details and put the stupid thing on."

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, oh mighty band leader."

* * *

Our first concert was great…but it could have been better.

It was only 3:30 in the afternoon, and a majority of our crowd had been made up of small families and younger kids. And _that_ was probably due to the fact that the stage was located near the food court and they were forced to sit and listen to us perform if they wanted a decent table to eat at.

Oh well…

It was Saturday.

The older, more receptive crowd probably wouldn't show up until our night performance at 9:00, but they were bound to come.

The Will to Kill took a short break, allowing the next group of performers to take a spot on the stage. But heck…I didn't even need a break. Performing as a youkai was _way_ more fun than doing it as a human. For one thing, I didn't get nearly as tired, and for another, my voice sounded incredible. It seemed my vocal chords had also benefitted from the transformation.

So all things considered, I was in a good mood. And ready to eat.

What I was craving was a funnel cake…or maybe a caramel apple. Hmm…decisions, decisions….

I settled on both.

Which didn't turn out well for me. By the time I had finished eating my whole_ body_ felt sticky. "Ugh," I complained, "so annoying!"

"It's all over your face…"

"Shut up Hakkaku!"

I stood up from my spot (at the base of a very colorful oak tree) and started marching away from the three guys behind me.

"Where ya going Kagome? We're back on in 2 hours…"

"I'll try to hurry," I yelled over my shoulder, "since it takes me _at least _2 hours to wash my face…"

Koga grunted and let me go, deciding that his massive chicken leg was more important than my sarcasm.

I rolled my eyes and kept walking.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later I exited the bathroom…fully prepared to _decimate_ my fellow band members.

_You know they wanted me to look like an idiot…_.

Apparently the caramel from my apple had worked as an effective adhesive for the powdery sugar on my funnel cake… and every bite I had taken of the delicious fried batter had left a large white sticky spot. Fifteen minutes of furious scrubbing later, and I was thoroughly pissed.

_Just wait till I get my hands on them… _A growl vibrated in my chest.

I pushed myself through a large crowd of people, surprised at how much the population had suddenly increased. _So __**many**__ …_ I grimaced as a small girl trampled over my feet, holding back a rude comment that I was sorely tempted to snap at her. _Geez, the little brat should at least apologize…_

But my sour mood softened somewhat when the child fell down, the trampling of my feet causing her to lose her balance. I immediately became concerned as the salty tang of tears began wafting from the girl, and I quickly knelt next to her to offer my help.

"Are you okay?"

Her large brown eyes turned to mine, a sniffle her only response. _Geez…she looks like she's only about Souta's age. I wonder where her Mom is at. They must have been separated somehow…_

I tried to appear friendly and talk in a soothing voice. "You're not hurt are you?" The girl shook her head. "Shouldn't you be with your Mom?" I asked. "Do you know where she is?"

The young child took my offered hand, and slowly stood up, half-heartedly brushing the dirt off her bright yellow sweater. "I'm," she croaked, finally finding her voice, "I'm here with my big sister…"

"Did you get separated?"

She nodded her head, her long black hair bobbing up and down with the action.

"Well then," I decided, "I'll just have to help you find her." Surely it wouldn't take two hours. And maybe it would keep me away long enough to have the guys worried. Which is exactly what they deserved after attempting to make me look like a fool. Jerks.

"Can you tell me what your sister looks like?"

The girl nodded and put a hand to her dark hair. "She's got long dark hair, like mine, and she's got brown eyes like mine…" she paused thoughtfully. "And she's skinny like you."

I clenched my teeth. _Great…that limits our search to, oh, about half the people here… Too bad I can't just ask the kid what her sister __**smells**_ _like. That would make life __**so**_ _much easier for both of us… _

"And where did you last see your sister?"

The girl immediately pointed back in the direction of the bathrooms, and I turned to take a glimpse of them myself. _Alrighty then, that's a start._ The young child took hold of my hand, a little more trusting now that she knew my good intentions, and we started in that direction. I studied the double entrance bathroom, already knowing that she and her sister must have somehow managed to exit out of different doors.

The older girl was probably worried sick and still hanging around nearby. My small companion and I entered the building, our eyes scanning the thick group of women for a thin, dark haired woman. There were several, but judging from the kid's reaction, none of them were her sister.

So next we _circled_ the building, carefully checking each of the occupants on the benches that were stationed against the walls before winding up back were we had started.

"_Still_ no sign of her?" I asked.

She shook her head, her eyes flicking across the crowds of people around us. Our thorough search had taken about thirty minutes, and our poor results were upsetting her… again. I switched to another tactic.

"Did you and your sister come here with any other people?"

Her small face immediately lifted in hope. "Yeah! We came with her boyfriend! He should be _much_ easier to spot!"

"Well what does he look like?" I coaxed, her excitement rousing my own.

The girl stood on her tip- toes and searched, a hand held to her brow. "Let's see…He's got long silver hair…yellow eyes. Oh yeah! And dog ears! He has two little dog ears on his head…"

I felt myself freeze, her description instantly forming a well known picture, right behind my eyes, of a person I had just seen just earlier that day. It couldn't be possible, though. Perhaps he had a twin. "What…what is his name?"

The girl looked up at me for a second before continuing her hunt. "Inuyasha."

Right. So he had a twin who also happened to have the exact same name as he did. No biggie, it was completely probable…I licked my suddenly dry lips, and forced my next question out.

"And what," I whispered, "is your sister's name?"

Before I had even finished the question, the girl had shot away from me, obviously finding the person we had been searching for. I watched as she flung herself into the arms of her older sibling, an expression of pure elation upon her small face.

But even as I slipped away from the happy scene, the name she had yelled continued to ring in my ears.

The name of her older sister…

"Kikyo!"

-End-

* * *

Alright…I'll make this short and concise:

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2) Countdown Til' New Moon: 2 Days. Woot Woot!

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-_RedThread_


	20. Coincident

Onward!

Enjoy. :P

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha

* * *

Chapter 20: Coincident

-Start—

I didn't think. I didn't look back. I simply ran.

The shock from my most recent discovery became the drive that pushed me further.

My heart pounded painfully in my chest; my ears pulsed with the sound of _her _name. I had to get away from them. From the _sisters._

I skirted a group of slow-moving people, reveling in the way my feet were able to move so inhumanly fast. The world around me was nothing but a kaleidoscope of color and strangers. I kept running. Tides of people. Rows upon rows of tents. Too many smells. Keep going. _Where am I?_

I came to an abrupt stop, dust stirring lightly about my feet. I wasn't tired but my chest heaved with labored pants as I took in my surroundings. Nothing. I recognized nothing.

How far had I gone?

My lungs expanded as I sucked in a deep breath._ Calm down Kagome. Just think. Push everything else aside. _I closed my eyes briefly, hoping it would help me concentrate. A single thought forced its way from the tangled mass of my mind. _First off, you need to find out what time it is…_

I continued to hold my breath until I felt composed enough to release it in a slow, steady stream. If only I could empty my mind as easily as my lungs. I opened my eyes again, squinting at the sudden brightness of the setting sun. _Just find a clock…Don't think about anything else until you know how much time you have. _

We were set to perform at 5:30 p.m. and judging from the lowered position of the sun, that time was fast approaching. My brain slowly processed this information before forming its next thought, my mental voice a little more urgent this time. _You need to get back to the stage Kagome…_

I turned in a frantic circle, searching above the dark heads of the people that surrounded me for a landmark that would lead me back to the stage. My eyes alighted upon the huge skeletal frame of the Farris wheel and I sagged in relief. During our first performance I could remember having a clear view of it from the stage. It was probably safe to say I could find my way back if I went in that direction.

I lifted a leg, preparing to take a step towards my destination, when a strong hand knotted into my hair, pulling me back. My foot hovered in mid-step, suspended awkwardly before me. My body instantly tensed in the weird position, trying to figure out what exactly was going on. It must have been my frazzled state of mind or the abundance of smells that clogged my nose, but it wasn't until he spoke that I realized who had grabbed me.

"_You!_" Inuyasha hissed, as he drew me closer, relaxing the hurtful pull on my hair. "I can smell her on you! Where is she?"

I grit my teeth in frustration and responded instinctively.

"Inuyasha! Let go of my hair or so help me I'll- You're messing it up, you idiot!" I struggled in his grip, forgetting, in my moment of rage, that he didn't really know who I was. My instant response must have surprised him.

His aura darkened and his fist clenched tighter. "Don't talk like you know me, wench. I can't even remember what your name is and yet you say mine as though you've known me for years." He tilted my head back until his face hovered over my own. His furious features were illuminated by the dying sun, and I took a moment to admire his otherworldly beauty before letting his remark sink in.

With a mental bang I remembered that I was Kyome of the Wolf Tribe, not Kagome the Human. His harsh actions seemed more justified now… especially after I recalled that _great_ impression I'd left on him at the gas station. No wonder he was glaring at me with such distaste.

I was thrust forward as Inuyasha straightened up and walked me over to a nearby bench, out of the main hustle and bustle of the crowd. I sat down willingly, glad to put some distance between us. His close proximity had been enough to make me shiver.

Inuyasha stood imposingly, eyebrows drawn together in a frown. "Look, uh…,"

"K-yo-me," I ground out, still irked by the way my body responded to him.

"Right, _K-yo-me,_" he mocked. "Look, I don't like talking to you anymore than you like talking to me, but you're not going anywhere until I get some answers."

My eyes flitted to the disappearing sun and then back to his determined face. "Make it quick, I've got places to be."

"Answer my questions truthfully and I'll _gladly_ say good riddance to ya."

I frowned in annoyance and waved an impatient hand, signaling him to start.

He crossed his arms and growled, clearly showing who was in charge here. "Quit wavin' your hand at me! I'll start when I wanna, you stupid wolf!"

"Well then hurry up!" I shot back.

His chest vibrated with another growl and his eyes flashed dangerously, but after a few tense seconds it appeared that his willingness to get this over with won out over his will to argue with me, and so he began his questioning. "When did you last see Kaede?"

I rolled my eyes at the blunt question. "With your girlfriend….safe and sound."

He scowled in obvious disbelief.

"I'm serious…" I affirmed, and I started describing the little girl, whom I assumed was Kaede. "Small kid, long dark hair, yellow sweater…that's her right?"

Inuyasha flicked an ear, a sign I knew well; a sign to continue.

"Yup…" A tint of urgency edged my tone. "I helped Kaede look for Kikyo, that's your girlfriends name right?, for nearly half an hour before the kid spotted her and took off. And then I left. That's all."

The scene of the two sisters replayed in my head, forcing my mind to untangle and accept what was going on. Kikyo had a little sister named Kaede. Kikyo, Kaede, and Inuyasha were all at the Fall Fair of Kyoto…on the same day as 'The Will to Kill'.

I didn't cringe from the truth like I had earlier. Instead, a feeling akin to fear slithered through me. Could it be possible that something so coincidental could happen? I mean, first we meet at a random gas station... And then again at a huge fair that had _thousands_ of other people walking through it. Was it fate? Destiny?

"Well…," Inuyasha's voice brought me back to reality, "I can't sense that you're lying…" His eyes swept over my body, sizing me up. "But don't think your act of charity is going to change anything. I still despise you…"

I smirked and stood up. "Same here dog-boy…more than you could possibly know."

"Right," he snorted.

Inuyasha had started to turn away when my voice called him back. "Hey! Before you go, _I_ have a question for _you_…"

He glanced over his shoulder, an eyebrow arched in inquiry.

"How do you get to the concert stage?"

* * *

_Stupid Inuyasha!_

He'd merely pointed in the distance behind him, not helping me at all.

_I __**will**__ get him back for this…_ I vowed. Whether in my youkai form or my human one, vengeance would be mine. Especially if that little interrogation of his had made me miss the start of our concert.

When the oversized platform finally came into view, I was breathless with worry, not sure if I'd made it in time or not. A large crowd of people surrounded the stage, blocking off the main pathways through the fair like a giant blood clot. I jumped up, looking over the heads of the audience to see who was currently on stage.

I grimaced. _I'm so dead…_ Koga sat on a stool in the middle of the giant dais, gently stroking a tune on his guitar. His face was a mask of cool concentration, but I could tell from the way his jaw was clenched that he was pissed. Most likely at me.

I immediately began pushing through people, desperately trying to reach the back of the stage. But I didn't seem to be getting anywhere. Taking a different approach, I crouched down and began winding through people's knees, ignoring their annoyed remarks as I inadvertently buckled some of them.

Just as I passed through the last line of onlookers, I was seized by two pair of urgent hands.

"Where have you _been_?" Ginta whispered furiously, taking in my appearance. "And what the hell happened to your _hair_?_" _I ignored his questions and grabbed my crumpled cloak from Hakkaku.

Ginta wrinkled his nose as I swept my hopeless hair over my shoulder.

"Had a run in with Inuyasha, huh?"

"But of course," I groused. "Now hand me that microphone, Koga looks like he's about to kill someone…" The microphone was shoved into my hand and I immediately ascended the stairs up to the stage, the other two right behind me. I drew in a deep breath, calming my racing heart and allowing Ginta and Hakkaku time to get situated.

Seconds later, I began to sing. My voice blended fluidly with Koga's guitar and I saw his shoulders sag with relief. His cobalt eyes shot to mine as I made my way toward him, and the message they conveyed was all too clear…

_**You're in trouble…**_

I smiled innocently and continued with my song.

_I know…_

* * *

The concert went well and was over in a mere hour; we'd performed only a small portion of our songs, leaving the main attraction for later tonight when we'd present all of them. But as of now, my mind was focused on other things. Primarily the irate wolf demon standing before me.

"Explain."

I turned and started off in a different direction, focusing intently on the plethora of cords that always seemed to appear out of nowhere and attempt to trip me. "It's a long story…"

Koga strode back in front of me and stopped, successfully cutting off my hasty escape. "Well then you better get started."

I noted his unwavering stance and sighed, mentally shaking my fist in frustration. _Darn it! Plan A (otherwise known as Completely-Avoid-the-Situation) is a fail…_ I'd been around Koga long enough to know that he could be as stubborn as Inuyasha when he set his mind to it. And in that case Plans B, C, and D didn't stand a chance either.

"Fine. Find us a comfortable place to sit and I will…" I remarked dryly. I was jerked forward as Koga grabbed my hand and turned, dragging me with him. "Where are we going?"

"Somewhere comfortable…," he growled, "and where I can keep my eyes on you."

* * *

A short while later I found myself seated (quite comfortably, might I add) on the Ferris wheel. Koga and I'd each received VIP passes, thanks to our exclusive 'performer' statuses, and a quick flash of them to the man working the ride had us bundling into the small seat before the people waiting in line could even protest. As Koga piled in next to me, the two-seater tray swung ominously, and I hurriedly slammed the safety bar down over our laps. With a long suffering sigh the carnie pulled against the bar, making sure it was secure, and then sent us away, allowing the disgruntled couple behind us to board in the next seat.

Our ascent was slow, but the clamor below us gradually became more muffled the higher we climbed. I sat still in the strange silence, chewing my bottom lip anxiously, waiting for Koga to say something. Obviously the wolf demon wasn't in a very forgiving mood; he stared straight ahead, jaw still clenched tightly.

We'd nearly reached the top before his voice cut through the still air, clipped and short.

"Now talk."

I shifted my view from the dozens of lights that winked and flashed below us to Koga's face. _How much should I tell him? _For some selfish reason, I wanted to keep my encounter with Inuyasha to myself. Even though the conversation I'd had with him wasn't the most ideal one, it was still the first time I'd spoken with Inuyasha, just me and him_,_ in nearly a month. And it'd had felt good to talk to him in an almost normal, not yelling-at-each-other kinda way…

A sudden wave of longing rushed over me at the thought of him. I wanted my best friend back…not just because I loved him, but because I missed all the inside jokes and playful arguments…his gruff attitude, his brash actions… the way he would stare at me intently as I explained something or the other...how his laugh could lift my mood, even at the worst of times….

Working so hard to stay mad at Inuyasha had temporarily blinded me to all the things I loved about him. My heart clenched at the swell of emotions that my memories brought on and I raised a hand to my chest as though to sooth it.

Koga cleared his throat at my overlong silence and I glanced up, looking him straight in the eyes.

I couldn't do it. I couldn't tell him. What's more, I didn't want to. I'd simply lie and say that I'd spent two hours helping a lost girl look for her older sister. There was no way he could tell I wasn't speaking the truth. _Unless, of course, he happens to get a whiff of my hai-_

A sudden gust of wind hit us, blowing strands of my long dark hair across Koga's chest, and I stiffened. His nose twitched once, twice, and then a dawning look of recognition appeared on his face. I watched his eyes narrow into disbelieving slits.

"_He_ made you late?"

_Crap._

I furrowed my brows, showing the wind my disapproval, before repeating my words from earlier. "Like I said…it's a long story."

But this time, Koga didn't even seem to be listening. His hands were wrapped around the safety bar in a death grip, and the flimsy metal was beginning to crush under the pressure.

_Geez…what's his problem?_

"Damn," he murmured, glaring down at his fists, "I knew I should have warned you…"

I cocked my head in question, forcefully prying his hands from the damaged bar. "Warned me? About what?"

He continued to look down at the compressed metal, fighting an internal battle. "I knew."

"Knew?"

Koga flung his hands up in a sudden frustrated gesture. "I _knew_! I _knew_ the mutt was coming to the fair!" His long fingers twisted into his hair where his headband should've been. "But I didn't want to tell you…What if you ran off to find him? What if you got into a fight? What if you accidently revealed yourself?" He breathed in deeply and his eyes found mine. "What if you got hurt again?"

"Hurt again? But I've never been—"

"Kagome..." Koga grabbed one of my hands and cradled it between the two of his larger ones, startlingly blue eyes studying my tanned skin and lengthened nails. "Even in this youkai form I can still read your face like an open book." He glanced up at my eyes. "And every time you see Inuyasha, your scent shifts, your eyes harden, your posture stiffens...and your face…Kagome, your face…"

His hand rose to my cheek and carefully traced its way around the outside of my eye all the way up to my forehead. "Somehow, even when you try to mask your emotions, you still manage to look hurt…betrayed."

I felt myself pale.

"And let's not forget all the times you've _cried_ over that idiot…"

I shook my head. "What does this have to do with anything?"

Koga's light touch disappeared from my face and his hand darted back to grab the hood of my cloak before flipping it over my head, shrouding me in darkness. _What is he doing? _His hands were back on mine, gently easing the demon ring off my finger. The sounds and smells around me dimmed in a dizzying rush.

"Koga?"

He barely pushed back the edge of my hood, careful to keep my identity hidden, and smiled down at me crookedly. "I want you to be _you_ when I say this."

"Say what?"

"This."

I waited, still perplexed by his words and actions.

He took a deep breath and stared down at me, his next words coming out low and steady. "I want you to forget about him…Let Inuyasha go."

My eyes widened.

_Let him go? _

"What exactly," I said slowly, "do you mean?"

He didn't blink, he didn't move, he didn't falter…not even for a second. "I want a chance..."

My breath hitched as he spoke.

"…to be more than friends…"

-End—

* * *

Whew...it felt good to write this. I've been wanting to get this chapter out all week...

Thanks for Reading!

Leave a review please... :)

_-RedThread_


	21. My Confusion On Many Things

**Wow!** _200 _reviews! That makes me so incredibly happy! :) ...I want to thank everybody who's ever left a review (especially my loyal reviewers who leave a comment for every chapter) ...you guys have inspired me more than you know! Thank you so much!

Anyways...on with the story... Sorry for keeping ya'll in suspense for so long… :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha…

* * *

Chapter 21: My Confusion On Many Things

-Start—

"Uh…What?"

My mouth seemed to have a mind of its own…which was a good thing, because the one in my head was currently under construction due to the huge blackout it had just experienced. Koga's eyes were boring into mine, and even without my Demon Ring on I could sense the determination that was emanating from him. I suddenly grew very aware of how close we were.

"Kagome…"

His hand tightened around mine.

"…You know I'd never hurt you right?"

He continued to stare at me, his eyes searching my own blank ones.

"Do you like spending time with me?"

I let my head loll back and forth in a nod. My brain was starting to repair itself, connect the dots, acknowledge what was going on here. I forced my mouth to move. "You know I Iove spending time with you…," I gently pulled my hand from his, "but I can't just _let Inuyasha go_."

"Then I'll wait."

I paused. "Wait?"

Koga reached for my hand again. "I'm not going to give up that easily Kagome."

The warmth of his hand pressed into my own and a shiver travelled up my arm and through the rest of my body. I closed my eyes, trying to sort through my tangled emotions. "What if…what if I can't return your feelings? No matter how long you wait. Does that mean you'll start to hate me?" I opened my eyes and stared at him quietly.

He smirked. "That'll never happen because you already have feelings for me."

"And how do you figure that?"

"Come on Kagome…you can't ignore the fact that there's some kind of attraction between us." He leaned in closer; close enough that I could see nothing but his face around the edges of my hood. "Remember that day we went shopping for your costume?" I felt my heart rate speed up, and his eyes flashed at me knowingly. "There was a moment in that dressing room that had both of us holding our breath. And you know it."

Koga drew back and smiled ruefully. "So now I just have to wait until you realize how much you care for me."

I sat there for a moment trying to assess my own heart. Did I really care for Koga? Was it possible to have feelings for someone and not even be aware of it? And what about Inuyasha? I _knew_ I still had feelings for him…especially after our little run in today.

My mind trailed off as my body began to tingle. My senses spiked, my hair lengthened, and the chill in the air became almost unnoticeable. Koga lowered my hood as my transformation finished. "Our ride is almost over."

He was right. Our seat was nearly to the bottom. When we finally reached the unloading platform, the carnie gripped the safety bar and lifted it up, staring suspiciously at the rather large dent that had magically appeared on it. Koga and I left quickly as possible.

"So what do you wanna ride next? We've still got some time…."

I glanced at Koga and then down at my feet, suddenly very nervous. What was I supposed to do? Did I act normal? Distant? Should I completely ignore him?

"Let's do a fast ride now…," he continued.

My head snapped up, and I forced my doubts away. _Act normal Kagome…it's just Koga…_ "Sure," I responded. "How about that one?"

Koga squinted into the distance, searching through the droves of people for the ride I'd suggested. "That one?" His eyes travelled upward. "The tall one?"

"Scared?"

"Pfft…yeah right. That's just my type…let's go." He laced his fingers through mine and began to walk.

_Wait Wait Wait! _I didn't move. "Koga…"

He glanced back at me, perfectly innocent. "What?"

"I don't…I don't want you to think I'm encouraging you." I looked down at our locked hands. "I mean, I like holding your hand and stuff…but I don't want you to get the wrong idea."

His mouth hitched up in a devious grin. "Did you just say you like holding my hand?"

"See! You're already taking it the wrong way!"

"So you _don't_ like it?"

"I do like it!...It's just…I like holding your hand as a friend."

Koga arched an eyebrow. "As a friend?"

"Yes…because friends hold hands." I'd told Inuyasha that exact same thing years ago when we were children. But now, even to my ears, it sounded like a weak argument.

He shrugged. "Okay then…as friends."

I relaxed when he began to smile again, glad that he'd taken it well. _I don't want to hurt you Koga…because I, of all people, understand the pain of an unrequited love…_

* * *

Many rides and two hours later, we dizzily made our way back to the stage to prepare for our last concert of the day. The brilliant sunset from earlier had faded into a deep midnight black, punctuated by thousands of flashing lights and high pitched squeals of excited riders.

Koga and I met up with Ginta and Hakkaku backstage and we all exchanged cheerful words (the two wolf demons looked immensely relieved over Koga's change in mood since they last saw him). I could feel my playful excitement begin to transfer into pumping adrenaline as our performance time crept closer and closer. This was going to be our biggest concert yet.

And we would be on in less than 10 minutes.

My whole body was pulsing with the sounds of the crowd, and minutes later, when our band name was announced, my ears began to ring with their eager voices. Koga's strong presence behind me urged me up the short flight of stairs and onto the stage….

…and then I was suddenly the focus of hundreds of people.

_Oh. Crap._

I nearly peed myself.

There were _so_ many people! More than I had initially thought…it seemed as though the whole fair had gathered.

It took several deep gulps of air and the sound of Hakkaku's drumsticks clicking together to make me think rationally. _Relax, they don't know who you are, Kagome…So what if you mess up or sour a note? It's not like they'll look down on Kagome Higurashi…_

I felt a burst of confidence. None of these people knew me. I could do what I wanted…

_Oh, and if it helps_, my mind added, _just imagine them all in their underwear…._

* * *

I sank down into the bathtub with a sigh of relief. Today had been a long day. A _very_ long day.

Had it really been just this morning that I had run into Kikyo at that gas station?

I shook my head, rapidly pushing thoughts of her away, and focused on finding some soap instead. I glanced around the unfamiliar bathroom, and let out a delighted cry when I found an assortment of scented liquids and colorful lotions laid out next to the bathtub. _Jackpot._

The band was staying the night in a hotel, located just down the street from the Kyoto Fair. Naraku had apparently thought ahead and booked a couple of rooms for us, and (being the considerate guy he was) made certain that we had the most expensive ones. I'm sure he expected to be paid back in full by the end of the weekend (that goldigger!). But by the time we'd finished that concert I was all to glad to find out that we didn't have a 3 hour car ride ahead of us. So perhaps I couldn't complain too much…

I stopped sorting through the large pile of soaps and paused for a second. _Geez…but what will Mama say? She's probably worried sick… Naraku had better made up a cover story for me!... _

I selected a brown bottle marked _Gingerbread_ and poured enough into the steaming water to make bubbles come up to my chin. _Ooooh, yeeeaaaahh. _I sank back against the padded lip of the tub and relaxed, letting my mind wander.

Which was stupid.

Because my mind went straight to Inuyasha and Koga.

And try as I might, I could not escape from them.

_Inuyasha_… I pictured his fierce golden eyes, long silver hair,…my ex-best friend…

And then _Koga_…A toothy grin, tan complexion, dangerous blue eyes…an _amazing_ personality…

_Geez…What am I supposed to do?_

Sometime during the concert, I had managed to realize that Koga _did_ mean something to me. It was probably in the moment that he had gotten too close to the edge of the stage and nearly been dragged off by a swarm of fangirls. I had relaxed when I saw that he was able to escape, but when I saw him wink back at them, my chest had clenched in an all too familiar way.

Envy.

It had practically been pulsing through my veins.

Why should he pay any attention to _them_ when he had just confessed to _me_? Shouldn't _I_ be the center of his attention? The only girl he looked at?

My hands curled into fists under the water.

They were stupid reasons to get jealous…but they were enough to make me realize my feelings a little bit better. I obviously didn't love Koga like I loved Inuyasha…but there was definitely potential. Especially if I continued to spend so much time with him. Over the past few months I had grown close to Koga, who knew how much closer we'd be in a few more? Maybe even close enough to date... But could I do that? Could I push Inuyasha completely out of my heart and allow another guy to replace him?

_Ugh…_

I ducked my head under the water in an attempt to escape from my thoughts. _GoAwayGoAwayGoAway!_, I chanted to the boys in my head. _Stop confusing me…_ I held my breath for as long as possible before bursting out of the bubbly water with a gasp.

"Okay!" I said with determination. "The quicker I get clean, the quicker I get out. And the quicker I get out, the quicker I get to go to bed!" I clenched a scrubby in one fist and a random soap bottle in the other. I quickly combined the two and began scrubbing at my arms almost violently, fully absorbed in my task.

No room for boys in _my_ head.

Nope.

None at all.

* * *

If I had thought Saturday was long, then Sunday was ten times longer. My lack of sleep did not mix well with the stress of performing three concerts…and watching Koga flirt with the same girls from last night didn't improve my mood much.

By the end of the day, faced with a long ride home, we were all in a foul temper.

"Dammit…," Koga cursed, flinging the car door open with a little more force than necessary, "why do we have to pay that bastard? That douche bag of a driver just informed me that, besides the initial 40%, we also owe Naraku the hotel fee and gas money! What the hell? That leaves us with almost nothing!"

"Well," I complained sourly as I squished into the backseat with Ginta, "I vote we save up what money we have left for a bigger car."

"That'll take us years at this rate."

I scooted closer to Ginta, making more room for Hakkaku. "Exactly how much money do we have left?"

Koga scowled back at us from the front seat. " 'Bout a 160 dollars…that's barely 40 bucks for each of us…"

I shrugged, the movement barely noticeable due to the close proximity of Ginta and Hakkaku. "It's a start…."

* * *

By Monday, I was nearly at my limit. Exhaustion fogged my mind and slowed my movements. Staying awake during class was going to be hell.

Somehow the other three seemed to be better off than me.

"It's because we're demons," Koga explained as I succumbed to a jaw-breaking yawn. "We recover quicker."

I merely grunted in response and continued to tiredly copy the notes that adorned the board. Sheer will was the only thing that kept me upright. I spared a sleepy glance at the clock. Our lunch period would begin in less than 10 minutes, and, oh, what I would give to be able to sleep through the whole thing...

My eyes shifted back down to the board.

But I couldn't.

There was something I had to do.

* * *

My nervousness temporarily cut through the fog in my mind and kept me wide awake. I twisted my hands together and made my way into the lunchroom, searching for a particular person.

And there she was…early as usual. I'd gotten here as quickly as possible, before the seat next to her was occupied, and now, it was in extreme cautiousness that I sat down next to her.

"Oh…," Sango glanced at me sideways, "hey Kagome."

I flinched at the coldness in her voice, but got straight to the point. "We need to talk Sango."

She calmly forked a green bean. "About what?"

"About why you're avoiding me…"

Apparently my choice of words triggered something in her, because she suddenly dropped her cool facade. "_Me_?" she said incredulously. "_I'm_ avoiding _you_? Are you _serious_ Kagome?"

"Uh…yeah."

"Oh, get real!" Sango rolled her eyes with vicious sarcasm. "I'm not avoiding you. You're just too busy with your _new _friends to spend any time with your _old _ones_._"

"Like I have a choice anymore!" I shot back. "I _have_ to spend time with them because all my old _friends_ keep ignoring me!"

"Well you started it! Ever since that costume party you've taken every opportunity to avoid me!"

A good portion of the lunchroom was staring at us now. But my fatigued mind was able to focus on only one thing at a time. I thought quickly as I could, trying to find a way to make her understand my point of view. "I avoided _everybody_ for one day and then was out of school for a whole week because I was _sick_." I glared at her. "And then when you didn't come to see me the _whole_ _week_ I was out, I kinda got the idea that you were mad at me…"

Sango quirked an eyebrow. "Well I didn't come because I thought _you _were mad at _me._"

"But… why would you think that? Just because I didn't talk to you for _one_ day…"

Her eyes shifted toward Kikyo guiltily. "I…I don't know…"

A sudden wave of fury pulsed through me. "What did she tell you Sango?"

Sango schooled her emotions and lowered her voice. "What did who tell me?"

"Kikyo!" I exploded, not caring who heard me. "What did she say that made you think I was mad at you?" _Kikyo._ Could anyone be more complicated? How was it possible for her to show so much love toward her sister and then turn around and endlessly cause me pain?

"She didn't say anything to me," Sango murmured. "Just drop it Kagome."

I stood up, infuriated beyond sense. "Fine," I ground out. "I see how it is…" A couple of emotions flitted across Sango's face and for a second I thought she was going to apologize and tell me everything…but then she turned away and continued to fork her green beans with nonchalance.

_Fine…see if I care._

I strode over to Koga irately, ignoring the whispers that were beginning to spread throughout the lunchroom like a virus. My posture was rigid as I forced my way in between Koga and Ginta.

"What—"

"_Don't…_" I hissed, as I settled in. I drew in a deep breath. "Don't talk to me."

The wolves immediately backed off. I crossed my arms on the table and let my head fall onto them in weary abandon. _What does Kikyo have against me? She's taken Inuyasha and now she's turned Sango against me… What's next?_

I stayed like that until lunch ended, refusing to eat or drink anything. It wasn't until we were on the way back to the classroom that Koga decided to break the deadly silence. "Kagome…you still aren't eating right…"

I ignored him, staring straight ahead.

"I bet you didn't have breakfast this morning either…"

He was right. I'd slept in and completely skipped it.

Koga sighed. "I'm going to have to force you to eat aren't I? Alright then, meet me in the courtyard after school. I'm going to take you somwhere."

I fixed my stare on him. "What?"

"You heard me," he said. "Oh…and don't try to ditch me…because I _will_ hunt you down Kagome…" I glared at his back in defeat as we made our way into the classroom, knowing that he would carry out that threat with no problem if need be.

Fine…I'd go. But that didn't mean I had to be pleasant.

* * *

"Ready?"

I frowned at him. "I want to go home and sleep." Koga grabbed my hand, and forced me to walk. "Where are you planning on taking me anyways?"

"WacDonalds," he replied. "You, my friend, are in severe need of a Big Wac. Eat one of those, and all you're problems are solved."

"Uh, no…I believe you are confused. Only chocolate has that power."

"But _chocolate_ is also extremely unhealthy for you."

"Pfft…Like a Big Wac is any better," I snorted.

A few minutes later we were both seated at a table in the nearest WacDonalds, a Big Wac in front of us both.

"Now eat," Koga demanded. I stared down at the huge burger, letting the smell of it waft up to my nose. It _did_ smell good… Maybe just a couple of bites… I had the thing completely polished off within 5 minutes and found myself blushing at how obviously hungry I had been.

"Better?" Koga laughed. "You've got ketchup all over your face."

I grabbed a napkin and cleaned myself. "It was good…"

"You sound surprised."

"I am," I said thoughtfully. "I don't think I've had one of those since my dad died…" Koga's face grew solemn, and I quickly waved a hand at him. "It's okay… I don't have a problem talking about him. I've…I've worked through that stage."

Yet despite my words I could feel my throat growing tight. I stared out the window, trying to find something else for us to talk about. Koga remained silent, apparently giving me some time to myself to calm down.

But suddenly all thoughts of my dad and Koga flew out of my head. I stared at the grocery store across the street, watching as Kikyo and Inuyasha walked out with heavy bags on each arm. _What the… Have they been __**grocery**__ shopping? What's up with that?_

My curiosity spiked further as they started heading in the opposite direction of Inuyasha's house. _And where the heck are they going? _

In a sudden movement, I stood up, my chair scraping harshly against the tile floor.

"Are you going to follow them?"

I glanced down at Koga and I realized that he had been studying me the whole time. _He really can read me like a book…_I noted absently as I nodded in confirmation. A vertical line appeared between my brows as I drew them together in worry. Koga may be able to read me well, but I could also read his emotions pretty clearly too. And right now the hurt look on his face was making me a bit uncomfortable. _Following Inuyasha isn't exactly a positive sign that I'm willing to let him go…_

But I had to follow him. I was determined to find out more about Kikyo. I needed to understand what fueled her hatred for me.

Koga stood up and took a last sip of his Dr. Pepper. "Well then," he said, "it'll make things easier for us if you're in your youkai form."

"Wait…us?"

"Yeah," his blue gaze met mine. "I'm coming with you."

-End-

* * *

Thanks for waiting so patiently for this update. What with finals and other various subjects of madness, it was hard to find time to write.

But I'm officially out for Christmas break, so expect more updates!

Read and Review!

**To Shadow6689- **Thanks for the suggestion!…It _would_ make the story interesting to add in that little twist. But it would also make it a little more difficult to follow along with my original plans, and if I want those to work out then it'd probably be best for me not to fiddle with them… :)

-_RedThread_


	22. Just Keep Piling the Confusion On

Merry Belated Christmas! Consider this a late Christmas present…

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha

* * *

Chapter 22: Just Keep Piling the Confusion On

-Start—

"Then I'll just be going to the bathroom to…uh, _use the bathroom_…"

Koga nodded his head in understanding, knowing that I had no intentions whatsoever to _use the bathroom_. "Hurry up." His eyes shifted to the window. "I'll wait outside and try to keep track of them."

My mouth tightened into a thin line. I was feeling slightly guilty that Koga was going to do this with me; that I was hurting him for _wanting_ to do this… But I think a part of him was just as curious as me, and so, even if he was slightly put down by the fact that we were going after Inuyasha and Kikyo, he was choosing to come with me of his own free will… and, I mean, who was I to stop him?

I dipped my head in a nod and headed toward the restrooms, pushing through the appropriately marked door with fervent hopes that I would find the room completely empty. It was. But just in case, I carefully checked each stall, making sure I was alone.

Seeing that I was, completely and utterly alone, I let out a sigh of relief and stepped into a stall of my own.

I quickly fumbled with the neckline of my coat and shirt before succeeding in pulling out the silver chain that held my Demon Ring. I always carried it now. Leaving it at home was too dangerous…especially if you had a little brother that liked to rummage through his sister's drawers and take things that didn't belong to him.

I unclasped the necklace with shaky hands (because whenever I'm in a hurry my body always seems to become amazingly clumsy) and pushed the ring down the length of my finger, closing my eyes as the familiar tickling sensation of the transformation travelled through me. I drifted within the moment until the sound of giggling girls brought me out of my relaxed haze; I silently urged my body to hurry up with its altercations lest I somehow be discovered.

As soon as the change was complete, I exited the stall and made an inconspicuous dash for the door, skirting around the three girls that had gathered near the marble-top sinks.

"Hey!"

I stopped midstride, frozen in place. One of the girls had clapped her hand down on my shoulder, causing my heart to suddenly leap around my chest in erratic patterns. I swallowed hard and ignored the loud rushing noise that pulsed through my newly sensitive ears.

Had one of them noticed? Was I busted? _Crap times ten….this isn't good…._ _Please don't ask me any questions…_

"Aren't you the singer from Koga's band?"

I turned around, easing her hand off my shoulder, and faced the curious group of onlookers with a nervous smile. It took me only seconds to I realize that the girl knew nothing about my transformation, and I allowed a small gasp of relief to escape before answering her. "Uh, yeah," I breathed, "… I am…Um, do you know Koga or something?"

The girl's face lit up with an excited grin. "No, but I'm, like, his number one fan! I saw you guys perform Saturday _and_ Sunday night…" Her first remark stirred up some opposition from the other two girls standing behind her. Apparently they were all Koga's number one fan…

"That's great…," I ground out, "I'll let him know…" I tried to ignore the bite in my words, but it was hard after I recognized who these three were. They were the ones that had been flirting so hard with him the other night... or _nights_, I should say.

"Do you think we can meet him?" All three of them stared at me hopefully.

I turned back toward the door, mentally rolling my eyes, and pulled it open before looking back at them over my shoulder. "I'm sorry," I replied politely, "Koga's a very busy guy…" Their simultaneous looks of disappointment almost made me laugh out loud. "But don't worry," I said quickly, in an attempt to avert their attention from my quivering mouth, "I'll tell him you three said hey. I'm sure he'll be _very _pleased."

Of course this was the very reason I would _not_ be telling Koga they said hey…because, no doubt, he _would_ be pleased. And for selfish reasons alone, I refused to let him be pleased because of _them. _Without a backward glance, I stepped out of the bathroom and let the door swing shut behind me, ignoring their last begging comments.

I didn't have time for this…I was, after all, in a hurry.

I quickly switched gears and focused on my original mission: Following Kikyo and Inuyasha… _who are probably** long** gone by now_. My teeth clenched in annoyed frustration at the thought, and I immediately took advantage of my demon abilities by swiftly sidestepping through the growing clusters of people. Seconds later I found myself standing outside the busy establishment searching the heavily crowded sidewalks for Koga.

"Took you long enough…"

My eyes darted to the left, instantly alighting upon the form of a bored wolf demon leaning against the brick wall with his arms crossed. "Must you always say that when I return from the restroom?" I snapped at him.

"Always…," he replied smoothly. He left his spot by the building and made his way toward me. "Relax Kagome, we can still track them…," he murmured while tapping his nose. "The stench of that mutt is hard to ignore."

I immediately lowered my hackles, realizing that it wasn't Koga's fault that I had been held up in the bathroom… _Then again, _my mind amended, _it technically **is** his fault they stopped me… _

I pushed the thought aside and studied Koga as he raised his head slightly to sniff the air. All I could smell was the horrid combination of people, trash, and bus fumes, but obviously he was able to pick through all that and find the scent he was sniffing for.

"They're still headed that way," he gestured with a tilt of his head. I nodded and started after him as he began to push through the crowd, but paused when he glanced back at me with a fangy grin. "Try to keep up, okay?"

With that he shot off through the droves of busy people, and, as my eyes momentarily lost track of him, I began to panic. _Koga!_ I mentally huffed, _How the heck am I supposed to know where to go?_

I held my body in place for a few tense seconds as I vainly searched the crowds for a glimpse of the fast moving wolf demon. I could feel my legs began to hum with barely restrained anticipation, ready to start the chase. With a soft growl, I shot off after Koga, led only by his lingering scent and my own desperate instinct.

_Darn him!…He knows how easily I get lost…_

_

* * *

_Lost indeed.

Koga's scent was leading me into an unknown part of town, and I was beginning to get a little worried.

"Kagome!"

I pulled myself to an abrupt halt and sent a suspicious glance upwards to the assumed location of the voice. I cocked my head in confusion. "What the heck are you doing up _there_?" I hissed. Koga raised a finger to his lips before beckoning me up.

My eyes searched the side of the wall, looking for a ladder or stairs of some sort. "What? Do you expect me to jump or something? You're on the frickin _roof_ Koga!" I kept my voice low as possible, still not entirely sure about what was going on.

He raised an eyebrow. "Uh...you're a _demon_ Kagome. Now get up here; even a pup could jump this…"

I glared at the low building in disagreement. Sure, it was much lower than the skyscrapers that stood in the distance behind it, but it was still a _building_. How did he expect me to just _jump_ up there?

Koga's voice reached my ears again. "You better do something fast, cause they're coming around the corner…"

My eyes flicked up and down the side of the building in desperation, and I sucked in my bottom lip before making my decision. "If I break my neck and die, my ghost will haunt you for the rest of your life, Koga!" I whispered furiously. I crouched low, my muscles bunching in preparation.

The light tapping of Inuyasha and Kikyo's feet coming around the side of the building alerted me to exactly how close they really were, and I released like and spring, streaking through the air. On impulse I reached my arms out to gain a sense of balance and was more than surprised when I landed next to Koga with a quiet thud. I stared at him with wide eyes before instantly flattening myself against the rooftop next to him in an attempt to hide.

Under any other circumstances I'm sure Koga would've taken his time to gloat and say something along the lines of 'See that wasn't so bad, now was it?'… But with our prey just below us, we both remained serious.

"Won't Inuyasha be able to smell us?" I asked in a low tone as I watched the two grocery laden people pass beneath us.

"We're down wind right now," Koga answered, lifting his head "…but that was another reason I moved us up to the roof. If we're travelling up here, there's less of a chance he'll detect us by smell." He stood up as a breath of air blew past us. "Usually, the higher you go, the more wind ya get."

I raised myself from my horizontal position and followed him as he began to walk along the edge of the roof, blue eyes carefully determining the length of space between our rooftop and the next. _My_ eyes, on the other hand, were trained on the couple below us, calculating the length of space between _them_.

_Too much…_ I decided. _There's too much space. They're almost acting like they don't even know each other. _I smothered my sudden rush of happiness with another thought. _It's probably because they're both carrying bulging sacks of groceries…_

But couldn't they at least talk or something? From what I could hear, neither one of them was saying a word. It was borderline awkward. _Strange…_

I shifted my attention back to Koga, gawking as he casually leapt from one building to the next in a single, graceful bound. _Geez… Jumping **on** buildings, jumping **across** buildings…what's next? Jumping **through** them? _

I clenched my teeth in determination before gathering my courage and hurdling after him, praying that my jumping abilities wouldn't suddenly fail. As we continued to leap onto the next rooftop, I imagined that we looked like ninjas, nothing but black streaks that appeared for a split second before vanishing without a sign in the next. I smirked, finding the thought thrilling.

Koga held his arm out, halting our progress, and stared down at the two people we had been travelling parallel to. They were crossing the street to a rundown apartment complex just opposite of us. I watched closely as Kikyo silently pushed her way through the door, holding it open with her foot so Inuyasha could follow.

_Why are they going in **there**? Is Inuyasha, like, into charity now?_

For the first time since we'd arrived, I stopped everything I was doing to take in my surroundings. We were definitely in the poor part of the city. The low buildings that Koga and I had been running atop were crumbling, ancient structures that obviously didn't receive much care. Weeds were growing abundantly in the small alleyways that separated the buildings, and, as I stared down into the lane nearest us, I could swear I saw a dark, human shaped bundle shuffling about. I wrinkled my nose and stepped away from the nasty smell of human filth that floated up from the dark crevice.

_Man, I've…I've never even seen this part of town._

Out of all the adjectives floating about in my head, the only one that fully described this place was disgusting. This place was absolutely _disgusting_.

"So what do you want to do now?"

I stared at the old weathered door Inuyasha and Kikyo had just entered, noting that the paint was peeling off and its handles seemed to be rusting.

"Follow them…" If anything, my curiosity had only increased.

"Of course…Why did I even bother to ask?" Koga smirked as he studied the scarcely populated street below us. I grabbed his arm as he made a move to jump down.

"Wait! Don't you think we should hold off a while before going in?"

He pointed at a high window on the building as a light suddenly flicked on, illuminating the frame. "Why? They're already on the third floor." I squinted, watching as a pair of figures moved in front of the window, temporarily blocking the light.

"Okay…," I said slowly, still watching, "but what are we going to do when we get in there?"

"Hell Kagome, I don't know! We'll cross that bridge when we get to it!"

I snapped my gaze back to Koga, a little startled by his outburst. The wolf demon kept his head tilted down toward the road, refusing to meet my eyes. _He saw you…he saw you watching Inuyasha… _My features hardened. _Well he didn't have to come if he didn't want to… I shouldn't have to feel guilty about this…_

"Look," Koga sighed. "Do you want to follow them or not? I know it seems like we're rushing in blind, but we don't know how much time we have before they head back down." He lifted his head. "If we're gonna go, we need to go."

I took a step towards the edge. "Well then let's go." My stomach dropped as I let myself take that final step, and suddenly I was plunging toward the cracked sidewalk. Koga landed next to me on the balls of his feet (his landing being immensely more graceful than my own) and after I straightened myself out, we both discreetly began to make our way across the street.

When we reached the doorway I pushed Koga in front of me. "You first… If I'm forced to improvise, we're doomed."

His chest vibrated in a chuckle as he leaned against the door, and I felt the pressure between us ease slightly. With a little force, the wooden door swung open and as I peeked around Koga's wide shoulders, I saw that it opened into a dusty old sitting room.

My nose twitched as we cautiously stepped inside, and I was forced to hold it as I felt a sneeze coming on. "Well," Koga whispered, "at least Inuyasha won't be able to scent us. Unless he wants a pair of dust infested nostrils..."

I nodded in sympathy as I waited for my sneezing urge to pass. Koga ran a clawed finger across an antique looking table that sat at the base of a large wooden staircase. "Doesn't look like anyone's cleaned this place in years…," he glanced around and grinned wryly, "or bothered to update the furniture."

I wiped my watery eyes and sniffled, my urge finally passing. "Ugh… even the _air_ smells old in this place."

"Who's there?"

We froze. Our eyes slowly trailed up the first flight of stairs, searching for the owner of the voice.

"What'da you two want in 'ere?"

The little old lady pushed her thickly magnified glasses up the bridge of her nose and continued to glare down at us with open hostility. "If you're tryin' to sell somthin' then it's best you go 'head and get out of 'ere. Nobody wants your cheap crap." She turned away and continued to mumble. "Not like any of those good for nothin' tenants can even afford to buy stuff anyway. Not 'til they pay their rent at least…."

Koga and I stared at each other in confusion before he shrugged his shoulders and looked back up toward the old woman.

"Wait! We aren't here to sell anything…"

At the sound of Koga's voice, the shriveled old lady turned back around to the banister and peered down at us again. "_Oooh_…," she said sarcastically, "Then why are you 'ere?"

Koga smiled winsomely. "Actually, we were interested in maybe renting an apartment. Would you happen to be the land lady of this beautiful complex?" The woman squinted down at him in suspicion, pressing her glasses closer to her face. She continued to study the both of us for a few moments before suddenly breaking into a nearly toothless grin.

"Well why didn't you say so earlier? O' course' I'm the land lady!" She threw her hands up in a wild gesture. "Come on up 'ere and I'll tell ya everything you need to know."

I followed after Koga, hoping he knew what he was doing.

Once we reached the top of the stairs we were immediately ushered into a dingy little room…apparently it worked double duty as her kitchen and living room. The old woman bustled about the stove, setting a kettle to boil. "'Ave a seat anywhere ya want."

Koga and I glanced around, our eyes coming to rest on the tiny two-person couch that sat against the far wall. _Anywhere? There's only one place **to **sit…_It squeaked under our combined weight and I tensed, scooting to the very edge. Koga relaxed back into it, completely at ease on the foreign couch.

I rolled my eyes at him and then allowed them to roam about the cramped room. _She says nobody wants any cheap crap when she seems to be an avid collector of it…_

The lady turned back to us and grinned her toothless grin, clasping her hands together in happiness.

_And I like the way her attitude instantly changes the moment we become potential customers…_

She reached under her small kitchen table and pulled out the single chair that sat pushed beneath it. "Now then. You can just call me Rea." She plopped into the chair, fussing with a pile of papers. "And you two are interested in an aparmen' you say?"

I studied Koga out of the corner of my eye, and nodded with him.

"Alrigh' Mr.- …."

"Uh…My name's…Hojo." Koga gestured at me with a lazy hand. "And this is Eri…"

"Alrigh' Mr. Hojo, just tell me what kinda floor plan you want and I'll fix you righ' up."

"Right, well…," Koga straightened into a more businesslike position, "we're gonna need an apartment with at least two bedrooms because," he laid a hand on my stomach, "she's pregnant."

My eye twitched. _Pregnant? What the hell? _

"Really now?" Rea ceased her shuffling and adjusted her glasses, staring curiously at my flat stomach. One of her wispy eyebrows inched up her forehead question. "Aren' you two a bit young to have a little 'un on the way?"

I glared at Koga, wondering what the next idiotic thing to come out of his mouth would be.

"We are," he answered cheerfully, "and our parents have disowned us. That's why we're _here_ at this _lovely_ establishment hoping to-…" He paused and a vertical line appeared between his brows. "You're not going to turn us away because we're too young, right?"

The woman looked back and forth between us before sighing and returning to her stack of papers. "I suppose it would be unfair of me, seein' as I already got one teenager lodged 'ere."

I forgot about Koga's hand on my stomach (which I'd been steadily digging my claws into) and focused on what Rea was saying. _Is she…could she be talking about Kikyo?_

Koga carried on the conversation. "There's a teenager staying here? Do you mind telling us their name? Maybe we know who it is…"

I listened intently.

"Her name is Kikyo Hinode. She's stayin' 'ere with her little sister. Came all the way from Kyoto, is what she told me…So 'o course I couldn't just turn 'em down."

So… Kikyo lived here. Here, in this nasty, dusty, old, stinky place. She and Kaede...alone. In that moment a lot of light bulbs went off in my head. _No wonder she wouldn't let anyone walk her home…And no wonder she loves spending time with Inuyasha…He's rich, which she, obviously, is not…. _

Koga seemed to be thinking along the same lines as me. "I don't recognize the name. But, if you don't mind me asking, how does she pay for her rent?"

Rea looked up, the glint of juicy gossip enlarged in her magnified eyes. "Ya see, that's the most curious thing. It seems to me the girl's got another teenager payin' the rent _for_ her. Some kid with little doggy ears… It's like he's takin' care of 'em. In fact they just walked by loaded down with groceries, not even half an hour ago."

Koga passed a meaningful look at me and I nodded back at him. We'd heard enough. It was time to get out of here.

The kettle on the stove began to whistle and as Rea stood up to turn the burner off, Koga and I rose also. "Well it was nice speaking to you Rea. We're really _very_ impressed with the place, and you can be sure we'll be back to settle things sometime soon." We edged toward the door, Koga's hand wrapped around mine.

"But we didn't even—"

"Thank you!"

I slammed the door behind us, leaving the poor old woman alone in her kitchen with a kettle full of hot water and nobody to serve but herself.

* * *

Koga and I sat in silence, the gently brushing of the wind causing our hair to stir. The sun was almost set, making the dirty street lights around us seem to glow brighter in the weird twilight hours. The building we sat on was abandoned, and I would have found the dead quiet creepy if my mind hadn't have been so preoccupied with other matters.

_I never knew…I didn't even suspect…_I buried my face in my hands. _Where are her parents? How long have Kikyo and Kaede been living alone like that? _

Koga sat next to me in a similar position, elbows perched on bent knees, and eyes fixed vacantly on a point somewhere between them. He seemed just as confused as me. 

"Wow…," I whispered quietly. "I didn't see _that_ coming."

Koga turned his head toward me and our eyes locked.

"Would you have even guessed?"

"No…," he shook his head. "But what she wears, the way she acts. There's no way she's lived like that all her life. We're obviously missing something here…"

I turned my face back toward the apartment complex that sat across from us. _He's right… they probably lived better in Kyoto._ I stared up at the third floor, watching the light that fell in a steady stream from her solitary window. _So then why would they leave? Why leave Kyoto to live like this?_

"Well, at least we know why she hates you now…"

I looked over at Koga with a blank expression. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"I mean," he said slowly, "that it's obvious why she has such a burning hatred for you…"

"Do explain."

Koga shifted, crossing his legs Indian style, and then leaned back, planting his hands behind him. "Think about it Kagome…She's just moved here with her younger sister; she's poor, she doesn't have a job, obviously their parents aren't around…So when she sees Inuyasha at school, the flirty, _rich_ guy, obviously she's going to try to get with him for financial purposes." Koga paused and raised an eyebrow before continuing in a sarcastic voice. "But wait, what's this? There's another girl in the way…Another girl standing between her, and her means of survival… And that girl just so happens to be—"

"Me…," I whispered. 

_So then why does she still despise me now? She's got Inuyasha… Why continue to torment me? Why turn Sango against me? _

I sat still for a moment, allowing my thoughts to mix. Regardless of what Koga said, something still wasn't right with all this; Kikyo still hated me. That much I knew for sure. But why? Did she still see me as a threat?

_She **knows** Inuyasha **wants** me to hate him though…so it wouldn't make sense to see me as a threat._

I slapped my hands against my face in frustration. Today's little excursion had created more questions than it had answered, and my brain was just about at its limit. My senses told me that Koga was moving, and when I peeked at him through my fingers, I was looking up at him. He offered me a hand.

"There's nothing else we can do tonight Kagome. We need to go." His blue eyes darted down toward the street, as though searching for something. "We've got a long way back and this isn't exactly the safest neighborhood to be in after dark."

I reached up and gripped his hand, allowing him to pull me to my feet. He was right. We weren't solving anything by just sitting on an old rooftop staring at Kikyo's window. I took one last look at the old door, wondering when Inuyasha planned on leaving.

_Or maybe, _I thought angrily, _he plans on just spending the night._

I tossed my hair over my shoulder in a haughty gesture before disappearing in a blur of demon speed. Koga smirked at my obvious attitude, and leapt after me.

-End—

* * *

Wow… It's 1 o'clock in the morning…and I have to work tomorrow… T_T Why do I do this to myself?

Sigh…

Leave reviews and comments… I really appreciate them. :)

Thanks.

-_RedThread_


	23. A Neighborly Visit

Yes! It's an update! I know...amazing isn't it? And just to reassure everyone out there who's been wondering what happened to me... I'm not dead. I'm still around, it's just, I've just been super extra busy lately. But I'll save my ranting for the end of the chapter. Go ahead and read…you guys have definitely waited long enough. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha

* * *

Chapter 23: A Neighborly Visit

-Start—

December 12. A day I utterly loathed.

I tucked my hands under my armpits, trying to preserve their quickly fading warmth and stared down at the lonely figures of my family. The ride over here had been silent, each of us buried within the depressing prison of our minds.

I ducked my head against the chilly wind and started down the hill after them. Before we had left the house the news channel had been blaring in the living room. Snow was in the forecast for today.

_How ironic_.

My footsteps halted as I drew up next to my mother. I made sure my eyes remained carefully downcast, allowing her and the rest of my family a moment of privacy. I chewed the inside of my cheek and waited for the familiar ripping feeling to come….

And it came, seeming to tear through my very soul.

Hot tears welled up in my eyes as I stared down at my father's grave. A thick ball of emotion constricted my throat and it only grew tighter as old memories flitted through my mind. Today was the 6th anniversary of his death. The 6th time my family and I had come to this very spot to miss and remember him.

_I can't believe you've been gone for 6 whole years Dad…_ _You wouldn't believe how much stuff has changed… _I glanced over at Mama and her expression made my already brimming tears spill over. _Mama still misses you so much… and so do Grandpa and Souta. _I reached a hand out and felt the cool smoothness of my father's gravestone under my fingertips. _It's getting harder and harder to remember what you look like Dad… _

My eyes slipped shut and I drew my brows together in concentration, trying to conjure up a mental image of my father's smiling face. _Don't leave me…_

Sure we still had pictures of him. But we kept those packed away; they were just constant reminders of what we had lost.

The touch of Mama's warm hand on top of mine made my eyes snap open. I offered her a weak smile.

"We need to go Kagome…," she glanced up. "The snow is coming."

As if to prove her point the wind picked up and the temperature dropped further.

"Alright," I mumbled, "I'm coming…"

I hated the snow. And with good reason. It had killed my father.

Dad had been on the way home from a week long business trip in Kyoto, travelling the back roads because he'd always claimed they were quicker. No one had known, least of all him, that a sudden blizzard was approaching. When it had started snowing, the already dark roads had quickly become coated with black ice, and without warning he'd lost control of the car, sliding driver-side into a tree.

At least that's what the police guessed had happened. We'd never know. At least 15 minutes had passed before another car had come upon the wreck and the smashed body of my father, and by then it was too late to save him.

It wouldn't have mattered anyway. The medics said his death had been instant.

I shook my head, brushing the horrible memories away, and gave my father's grave one last parting glance. "Til' next year then…"

I glared at a small snowflake as it touched down on the top of Dad's headstone and melted instantly. At witnessing this I felt small amount of satisfaction, as if my heated stare had somehow aided in the snowflake's disappearance.

I glanced upwards at about a trillion more flakes as they spiraled down toward me. At this rate the roads would be covered in less than 30 minutes.

The ride home was a short one, but my family knew better than anyone how dangerous snow and ice could be.

We'd be extra careful.

* * *

Later that night I sank down into a hot tub of water, sighing as tendrils of steam wisped up around me. After we'd gotten home from our visit to the graveyard the temperature had continued to drop almost drastically. The snow had shifted to a chilling sleet which only served to darken my mood and keep me uncomfortably cold. No matter how many blankets I had piled on myself, I couldn't seem to get warm.

So this hot bath was my last resort. If this didn't heat me up, I was probably going to die of hypothermia.

I let out a breath of satisfaction and leaned back against wall of the tub, allowing the heat from the water to relax me. _Much better_….Too bad I'd probably be freezing again once I got out….

It really wasn't _that _cold inside my house…but the faint coldness served as a great distraction, something to focus my mind on. The day of my father's death anniversary had always been a hard one to cope with, but this year, it seemed extra difficult.

_And that's probably because Inuyasha isn't here, _my mind whispered. I latched onto this distracting thought and hung tight. _I can't believe he didn't even come over with his mom…I mean, I know we aren't exactly talking and all, but …._I let the thought hang as I sank further into the bathwater, a scene from earlier replaying through my head.

When Mrs. Taisho had shown up at our house alone, my mother had worriedly inquired about Inuyasha, receiving only a head shake and apologetic shrug from Mrs. Taisho. "He said he had something to do… It seems I hardly ever see him anymore." She shook her head again. "I'm sorry…"

The hopeful light in Souta's eyes had quickly faded at this news and I'd simply turned away from her. I wasn't in the least bit surprised, but that didn't stop the rejected feeling of disappointment from spreading through me.

_I bet he was busy with Kikyo…_

_**Of courses he was**__, _my mind responded back**, **_**you've dropped very low on his priority list, you know…**_

The thought of Kikyo instantly conjured up the image of a run-down apartment building, complete with its paint-peeling door and dark windows. Nearly two weeks had passed since Koga and I had followed Kikyo and Inuyasha to that dump of a place and we still hadn't gotten any closer to figuring out why she and her sister had suddenly left Kyoto to live there.

Of course…we hadn't exactly been trying all that hard either. It was really none of our business…

…but, for some reason I couldn't help the nagging feeling that I _needed_ to find out what had happened. It was as if the reason Kikyo hated me _now_ was because of whatever had happened in her _past._

Or maybe I was just looking too far into the whole thing.

I squished my eyes closed and ducked under the water, my mind made up. There was probably one person, other than Kikyo, who could answer all my questions, and I myself had quite a few things to tell him anyways...

I resurfaced with a gasp and finished my bath as quickly as possible.

It was time to pay a neighborly visit.

* * *

_I probably should've waited until morning to do this …_ Yet despite my thoughts I continued trudging through the 4 inch snow with determined strides, slowly making my way through the woods. It was dark, but I knew this path well. I mean, I _was_ the one who'd made it.

It started at my house and led straight to the back of the Taisho's.

_Man…_ I thought sourly…_Inuyasha had better be at home… If I've walked all the way through this blasted snow for nothing, I'm gonna…_ My steps came down harder as I went over the many different painful and unpleasant things I would do to Inuyasha if he was anywhere but in his room. My irritation spiked to whole new level as I thought about his noticeable absence this afternoon.

By the time I emerged into Taisho's backyard, my breath was coming out raggedly, puffs of it visible in the freezing air. But my labored breathing wasn't just from walking a fourth of a mile through the snow-covered woods…it was also from anger.

Pure, unbridled anger.

I gathered a sizable chunk of snow and took aim at the window I knew to be Inuyasha's. The lights were already off in his room, but I didn't care. My arm swung forward and the snowball went soaring through the air.

It made a satisfying splatting sound before sliding down the glass. I waited a few seconds before heaving another one... and another one...

Three more times and I finally got a reaction.

"What the hell are you doing?"

I had already gathered up another snowball and I saw no reason to let it go to waste. Before Inuyasha knew what was coming, I flung it at him, smirking as it slammed into his bare chest. He let out a surprised yelp.

"What was that for!"

My hands settled on my hips and I restrained myself from packing up more snow to chunk at him. "Don't play dumb Inuyasha… You know exactly why I did that…"

"What? How should I know why you've shown up in the middle of the night and decided to chunk snowballs at me? Last I heard you didn't even want to see me again…ever…"

"Why didn't you come today?" I yelled, ignoring his reference to our last bout of fighting. "Do you know how upset Souta was? Even Mama asked where you were!"

I watched as his brow creased in confusion, his tawny eyes narrowing in thought. He had no idea what I was talking about; his lack of words spoke louder than anything.

"You're sucha…sucha…," I searched for the right word, "_asshole_!" I stumbled around on the ground, gathering up more snow. "How. Could. You. Forget…" Each word was punctuated by a punch to the snow in my hands. "What. Today. _Is?_" I launched the hardened snowball on the last word, unfortunately throwing it a bit wide in my haste.

Inuyasha stared at the snow that had narrowly missed his head and was now firmly attached to the bricks just to the right of his window.

"Calm down wench! I know what today is!"

I watched as he leapt from his window and landed a few feet away from me, the snow crunching under his feet.

"Don't call me that!"

"Okay, fine _Kagome_. Just stop yelling. You're going to wake the whole city…."

"You're yelling just as loud," I countered.

He snorted and crossed his arms over his chest. "Am not…"

I glared at him, trying to communicate with my eyes just how pissed I was. Inuyasha uncrossed his arms and shoved his hands into the pockets of his red sweatpants. I tried not to notice how low they hung on his hips. _Focus Kagome…don't let his state of undress distract you…_

"Aren't you freezing?" I blurted.

Inuyasha's ears twitched at the sudden turn in conversation. "I'm half-demon Kagome… I can barely feel the cold."

"Oh…right," I said stupidly. The anger that had fueled me earlier was starting to wane. My resolve was faltering. I clenched my hand into a fist, determined to regain my momentum and get some answers. "So tell me…" I started. "Why didn't you come?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "I figured you didn't want me to. So I didn't."

I stared at him for a moment, suspicious of how easily he'd given me an answer. I couldn't tell if it was the truth or not. "You don't have to lie… I can handle the truth…Were you with Kikyo?"

Inuyasha stiffened at the mention of her name, his eyes hardening into icy chips of amber. "Kikyo had nothing to do with why I didn't come," he snapped. "And I haven't seen her all weekend anyway. She's in Kyoto."

_Kyoto? She went back to her hometown? _"Is she coming back?"

"Keh… Of course she is. Why wouldn't she be?"

I shrugged. _Well…I guess her family didn't force her to go back home then…_

"I highly doubt you came all the way out here to have a conversation with me about Kikyo, Kagome. So why in the hell are you here?"

_Because maybe I just wanted to see you, you idiot… _but I couldn't say that… even when, deep down, I knew it was the truth. I'd continuously denied it to myself the whole way over, and now, when Inuyasha wanted to know why I was standing in the frickin' snow, at nearly 12 in the morning, outside his house, I really had no answer to give him.

I stared at him hard, trying to sort through my own thoughts, find a reasonable excuse for my actions. But I couldn't. There was nothing else to say. Without a word I turned and began walking back the way I had come.

"What the?—So you're just _leaving?_"

I kept walking.

"You're not even going to tell me why you came?"

I could feel the heat of his stare on my back, watching my every move…and of course, right at that moment, my foot decided it was a good time to ruin my silent exit. I let out a yelp as the offending foot remained planted in the snow, allowing my body weight and momentum to pitch me forward.

I squinched my eyes shut, waiting for the cold embrace of the snow to wrap around me…

...but it never came.

I gasped as a strong pair of hands grabbed my shoulders, stopping my fall. They pulled me back so that I stood upright again, and I couldn't help but shiver when the slight warmth of them slid off my shoulders.

"Never could walk right…," he murmured. I felt his breath whisper past my ear, felt his body heat radiating through me in waves. My back was practically pressed against his chest. Inuyasha must have reached me in one bound.

"Th- Thanks…," I stuttered breathlessly.

He grunted.

I remained still, refusing to move, scared that the fragile spell cast between us would somehow shatter if I even so much as flinched.

"Truce…," he declared. "I'll take you home if you don't yell at me for touching you."

I weighed my options in my head. A) Either walk home alone in the freezing snow, or B) Allow my enemy (and also my crush) to take me home in a few short leaps while riding astride his back... his very _bare_ back.

_Hmm…. Hard decision…_

"Fine…," I said as huffily as I could, "but only because if there's one thing I despise more than you, it's the snow."

Inuyasha's low chuckle rippled through me from behind as he stepped in front of me and squatted down. I reached out warily, expecting his shoulders to tense the second I touched them, but they didn't. I could only feel the toned muscle shift as he adjusted his position. We'd done this a thousand times, he and I.

_3…2…1…_

Right on cue Inuyasha stood and I instantly responded by jumping up enough to wrap my legs around his waist. As always, his arms hooked under my knees and I proceeded to brush his long hair out of my face.

"Ya ready?" he asked.

I tightened my arms around his neck in answer.

Seconds later we were soaring through the air, the cold wind taking my breath away. I could feel my eyes began to water as the chill of the air slapped against my face. _And he's out here topless…_ I thought reprovingly. _He may be half demon, but the other half is human… and I can guarantee that any human who's half-naked out in __**this **__weather is bound to get sick. _

I buried my face in the warmth of Inuyasha's hair, glad that I was fully clothed, and allowed myself a moment to relax and just breathe in his scent. _I've missed this…_

But my ride came to an end all too soon.

We'd made it back to my house, and the plaintive sound of grinding metal made me lift my head to see what was going on. Before I could say anything, the grinding noise came to an abrupt stop, accompanied by a loud pop.

I recognized that sound.

"Did you really have to break my window lock _again_?"

"Would you rather I escort you through the front door? Which, by the way, is right across from where your mother is sitting?" Inuyasha hauled my window open and stepped inside. I slipped off his back and quickly put as much distance between us as possible. It'd been a long time since we'd been alone together in my room, and right now my emotions were going haywire… If Inuyasha even so much as touched me I don't know what I'd do…

"How do you know she's down there?" I questioned, trying to disguise my nervousness. Inuyasha arched an eyebrow.

"I can smell her…"

_Which means I'm probably smothering him with the scent of my nerves…wonderful._

"And plus," he continued, "she's probably looking at those pictures."

_That's right_… Every year on this day, since Dad's death, Mama would sit at the kitchen table and just stare at pictures of him. She usually stayed down there all night long, her eyes blank, her mind in a different time and place where nobody could reach her.

The thought of Dad made my head spin and any awkward feelings concerning Inuyasha vanished. I must have looked like I was about to fall or something because suddenly Inuyasha was next to me guiding me toward my bed.

"I'm sorry Kagome…I didn't mean to bring him up." His voice was pitched low, like he was trying to soothe me. My knees buckled as I sank onto my mattress, now only vaguely aware of Inuyasha's presence.

"Kagome? Are- Are you okay?" He stood in front of me, obviously unsure about what he should do at this point.

I watched with a detached sort of interest as my hand stretched out and grabbed hold of his. "Can you just….," my voice was barely audible, choked sounding. "Can you just stay…for a little while?"

I don't know what I would have done if he'd said no. But that didn't matter because he didn't. Inuyasha simply sat down next to me, a solemn expression on his face. I could feel the pressure of his hand still pressed against my own.

We sat there in silence for who knows how long. I probably should have been crying or something, but I wasn't…all my tears for Dad had been cried out years ago. And besides, I didn't have the energy to cry.

I simply allowed myself to float about in the dark of my thoughts, Inuyasha's steady presence the only thing keeping me from drowning completely.

* * *

The next morning I woke up, wondering why I'd gone to bed fully clothed. That was before everything came flooding back.

_Maybe it was all just a weird dream. _

I stood up and stretched, at the same time noticing that the lock on my window was a mangled pile of metal.

_And that definitely proves that last night was __**not**__ a dream…_

I stared out the window at the fresh snow, wondering when Inuyasha had ended up leaving. _He's probably annoyed that I made him stay like that last night… _I wilted at the thought. _Oh well…It's not like we're talking anyways…he can be annoyed all he wants. _

A flash of brown caught my eye, bright against the whiteness of the snow. I stared, realizing that it was a person, and slid my window open when I recognized who it was. "Koga? What are you doing here?"

The wolf demon grinned up at me, his blue eyes flashing. "I've come to pick you up so we can get going…."

"Uh…_going_?" I cocked an eyebrow in question. "And just where are we _going_?"

He rolled his eyes at my ignorance.

"The mall of course… This year we're going to be proactive and get our shopping done _before_ Christmas Eve."

-End—

* * *

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed.

Now on with my rant…

List of Busy Things That Take Up All My Time:

1) School

2) Soccer practice

3) Soccer games on the days I don't have practice

4) Dance after soccer practice on days I don't have a game

5) Homework… everyday

6) Work (only on the weekend though)

7) Holy crap that's a lot…

And that's my rant in List Form… ha.

So I've been working on this chapter for about 3 months now…If I don't publish it and move on to the something new, I think I'll go crazy. I've reread this chapter so many times I can't even tell if it's good anymore….

Leave a comment and let me know…

:D

Thanks!

-_RedThread_


	24. Cornered

Read! Review! In fact, review twice! :P

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha

* * *

Chapter 24: The Photo Booth

-Start—

I opened the front door and stepped out cautiously, wary of the sparkling snow that coated the front steps. I squinted at the bright, white world that surrounded me, breathing in the crisp air. It was beautiful.

But I hated it.

The only redeeming quality of snow, in my opinion, was the fact that it was good for chunking at bare-chested half-demons…

I took my time descending the front steps. The last thing I needed was to pull a clumsy Kagome move by falling flat on my face…last night had been close enough, thank you. I shuddered at the memory of my almost-face-plow, remembering the steady hands that had saved me. And how warm they'd been… and how big, and familiar, and-

I shook my head, discarding all thoughts of the hands _and_ their owner. I shouldn't be thinking about Inuyasha at all….especially when I was about to spend the day with Koga.

I slowly made my way over to the top of the shrine stairs before halting to peer down them. Yep. Just as I'd suspected. Getting down these steps was going to be _hell. _I might as well write a quick suicide note before I started.

The crunching sound of footsteps drew my attention back to the side of the house as Koga rounded the corner. I turned my vision back to the steep incline of the stairs before stating the obvious. "You know I'm going to die if I try to walk down these, right?"

Koga's steps halted just behind me. "That's why you're _sledding_ down."

I looked over my shoulder and cocked an eyebrow. "So basically you're saying you just want me to die _faster_, huh?" Koga was seated on a medium-sized wooden sled, legs straddled to either side of it, grinning up at me like an excited kid. The gleam in his eye made me nervous. "There is no way I'm riding down on that thing…"

"Yes you are." He patted the space in front of him. "And you're gonna sit right here and hold on to this," he held up a rope, "so that you feel safe."

"Because in reality, I won't be."

"Yes you will, Kagome. I'll protect you. Now get on." He waved at me impatiently, and it did absolutely nothing to speed me up. I crossed my arms and stared down at him sourly; I _really_ didn't want to do this.

Already a thousand different worst case scenarios were going through my head. Like, what if we flipped over? Or what if we ran into someone passing by the bottom of the steps and _then_ flipped over? Or what if we got stuck on something and _flipped over- _

"Kagome…," Koga said lowly, "Do you really think I would ask you to do something that might hurt you?"

The death montage flashing through my mind came to a standstill at the seriousness of his voice.

"I would never, ever let something happen to you… just…trust me Kagome. Get on the sled." His eyes met mine as he held his hand out to me. I stared back suspiciously, still unsure.

_Don't give in Don't give in Don't give in…_A few seconds more and my shoulders sagged defeat. _Well_… _if I'm fated to die either way, I might as well die with a hot guy behind me…_ Before I could allow myself to analyze that thought too closely, I sank to my knees and boarded the sled.

Koga whooped in triumph and quickly situated himself behind me, drawing me close to his chest and wrapping his arms around my front so he could handle the rope that controlled the steering.

"Now one more question before we go…," he stated while using his legs to sort of push the sled toward the edge of the stairs. "You've got some money, right?"

"Of course…," I replied with a haughty lift of my chin, "I _am _a rock star after all…Which means I'm always loaded."

He snorted. "I'm going to take a guess and say you've got about $25 on you."

"Wrong! I've got $30! ...and whatever change was already in these pockets," I added.

Koga's chuckle travelled through me, his muscles tensing with the action….

And then, without warning, we were flying down the staircase. My first reaction was to scream…

…and I did.

My second reaction was to laugh because, holy crap, this was _fun_.

The cold air stung my cheeks as we picked up speed and I couldn't help the giddy feeling of weightlessness that seemed to grip me as we went faster and faster. I let out a whoop of excitement.

But suddenly we were moving _too_ fast and the end of the stairway was approaching _too_ rapidly. An image of us flying out into the street and being instantly hit by a car flashed before my eyes. Forget about flipping over…being slaughtered by a car was much more likely.

"Koga! Make us stop! _Why aren't we stopping?" _My voice ended abruptly as my body froze in shock. I could only stare at the street as it grew closer and closer. _I knew it! I really **am** going to die! Stupid snow…stupid stairs….stupid sled…stupid Koga for coming up with this idea! Stupid me for agreeing! _

And then it was like someone had thrown on the brakes. Koga's arms tightened around my torso as my body pitched forward and I squished my eyes shut to prepare myself for yet _another_ face plow into the snow.

A few seconds passed and my senses were so dizzied up I couldn't tell what was happening. I kept my eyes shut.

"Kagome…You're okay..._Breathe_."

It was of course at that moment that I realized I wasn't. My eyes flew open as I drug in a gasping breath, the cold air seeming to bruise my lungs. "Are we dead?" I sucked in another deep breath before choking out a few more words. "_Dangit_ Koga! I was too young to die!"

Koga shook me. "What are you talking about? You're alive. In fact, we're both alive."

"But…," I looked at the snow covered sidewalks and houses, the slow moving traffic that travelled up and down the street, realizing that he was right. "But how did we stop?"

"Simple really…All I did was dig my heels into the snow." Koga stood up, pulling me with him. I held onto his arm, still disoriented.

The sled had stopped on the edge of the sidewalk, the tip of it barely hanging over into the road. I stared at the deep gouges that trailed along behind it wondering how much force Koga had had to exert to stop us. I'd say a lot judging from how long and deep those tracks were.

The wolf demon stared down at the marks thoughtfully. "At least we didn't flip over. That happens a lot you know…"

I started laughing. Koga stared at me in confusion, trying to figure out what the heck was wrong with me. "I don't get it…What's so funny?"

"Just…what you said…and what I was thinking before we went down…" Koga cocked an eyebrow and I waved an impatient hand at him. "Oh never mind…just let me laugh." The joy of simply laughing lifted my spirit. After the emotional drain from yesterday I deserved a good laugh. I grinned at Koga's obvious puzzlement.

After a moment he grinned back, shook his head and started walking down the sidewalk, the sled trailing along behind him. I breathed in deeply and followed after him, deciding that the sled ride hadn't been so bad after all.

* * *

When we finally reached the mall I forced Koga to buy us each a cup of hot chocolate.

"I mean, I've only got $30," I reminded him. "I gotta save what I can or I won't be able to buy any presents."

"Goldigger," he mumbled.

"Uh, no," I said matter-of-factly, "actually that would be Kikyo…"

Koga snorted and nearly dropped his drink. "Geez Kagome…," he choked. "That's harsh."

I shrugged. "You know its true. She's only after Inuyasha's money, and he's just an idiot who lets her have it."

"Or maybe," Koga said with a lift of his eyebrows, "it's more complicated than that. _Maybe _Inuyasha is paying _her_ to somehow help _him_ and their _both_ just acting like a couple to throw everybody off."

"Pfft….I think you're looking too far into it. I mean, why would Inuyasha be paying the _new_ girl, who just moved here, to help him do whatever it is he's supposedly doing?"

"I don't know. Maybe Kikyo moved here for a specific reason. Like, maybe she's a top secret Taisho agent and Inuyasha made her come here."

"No way. The Taisho's are rich, but they aren't that rich." I'd known the Taisho family nearly all my life, and I was pretty sure that they didn't have any personal secret agents working for them. Inuyasha wouldn't have been able to keep something like that quiet. He'd always been one to brag.

Koga shrugged his shoulders. "Well, it was just a theory. And a lot more creative than yours."

"Um, a lot more farfetched you mean."

We continued to argue about our theories and when we finally finished off our hot drinks we came to a standstill.

Koga's eyes roamed over a bright map that sat next to the trash cans we'd just thrown our empty cups into. "So where should we head first?"

I thought for a moment who all I was shopping for. _Let's see…Mama, Grandpa, and Souta… Koga, Ginta, Hakkaku,...Sango? Inuyasha? _I crossed my arms, deliberating the last two. Sango and I were definitely in an estranged relationship. We hadn't talked in nearly two weeks.

But I was starting to feel her absence like a giant hole in my chest. She was my only girl friend, and even though Koga and the rest of the band were great guys to hang around with, they were, well, _guys_…and I desperately needed a girl to talk to. A girl besides my mother.

_I'm going to be the bigger person here and try to apologize to her…_ I'd buy her a shirt or something from that store we'd shopped in at the beginning of the school year. _It can be like an "I'm sorry" gift… _Because when I thought about it, it was really petty of me to throw Sango off just because Kikyo might have said something completely lame and untrue to her. And who knows, maybe Sango was missing me as much as I was missing her.

"Alright," I said determinedly, "follow me. I know where we can start."

* * *

Due to financial issues, I only ended up buying Sango a cute keychain. Mama got a scarf, Souta a hat, and Grandpa a weird dried up paw of some sort. The paw had only cost 99 cent, so it was definitely a bargain. As far as Koga and my other fellow band members went…well, I'd just have to come back when I didn't have Koga with me…and of course when I had more money. We were doing some kind of Christmas gig this weekend so maybe I'd have a little more cash in my pockets next weekend.

I stared into Koga's shopping bags, impressed by the amount of money he'd spent on his parents. So far he'd bought his mother a gorgeous turquoise necklace with a silver wolf paw layered over it and for his father he'd bought an awesome leather jacket with hidden pockets on the inside.

"You make me feel so cheap. Where the heck did you get all this money? Is your family secretly rich?" Because seriously…he'd spent almost, like, $500 already.

Koga laughed. "It's called a savings account Kagome. I don't blow all my money right when I get it, like _some_ people. I let it pile up for a while."

Man. Wish I had a savings account. Shopping might be a little more fun if I did.

"Hey…look."

I paused and looked to where Koga was pointing. "A photo booth?"

"Yeah!" Koga had that excited gleam in his eye again. "Let's go take some pictures!"

Well…I'd never been a photo booth before…so why not. "M'kay."

We bundled into the small booth, stuffing our packages down by our feet. I watched as Koga fed the machine some money, and then I glanced around blankly, waiting for something to happen. A click from the camera in front of us startled me.

"Quick, make a funny face Kagome."

I puffed my cheeks up and crossed my eyes as the camera clicked again. "What next?" I questioned hurriedly.

"A serious face."

We both schooled our features into seriousness, trying to look menacing. The camera clicked again.

In the next picture we smiled normally our cheeks nearly pressed together. I leaned away from Koga, suddenly nervous by how close we were in this little space. I swallowed, "One more picture left, right? What should we do?"

A red light was blinking, urging us to hurry and make our decision.

"How bout we close our eyes…"

I cocked an eyebrow and he shrugged. "We only have 5 seconds left. Just do it."

I faced him, watching as his eyes slid shut. I followed suit, waiting for the sound of the camera to signal the picture had been taken.

And then, without warning, Koga's lips were pressed against mine, gentle yet firm.

The camera clicked.

I sat there, breathing in his scent, wondering at how soft his lips were and completely unsure about what to do. My emotions were jumping all over the place. Instinct was telling me to press back, answer his tentative question, but my mind was still trying to catch up with what was happening.

I hesitated too long. Before I could respond, Koga's lips left mine. My eyes fluttered open and I stared into his half lidded blue ones, unable to speak. _Did…Did I enjoy that? Or was it weird? It didn't feel…wrong. But, oh man…. What do I do now? What should I say? _

Koga grinned and I nearly melted at how charming he looked.

_Who am I kidding. He can kiss me all he wants…_

I very nearly leaned back in to kiss him myself, but the sound of our pictures being printed brought me out of my daze. I cleared my throat and glanced away from Koga's piercing stare.

"Well," he said, "you took that better than I expected."

My eyes jumped back to his face. "And just what did you expect?"

His fangs showed as his smile widened. "To be honest, I thought you'd be out of this booth and halfway home by now, raging mad." He crossed his arms. "And, well, since you obviously aren't reacting that way, it can only mean one thing…"

I backed as far away from him as I could, which wasn't very far. "And just what is that?" I asked weakly.

"That you liked it."

My eyes widened, and I began to sputter in denial. "Oh please! Don't flatter yourself! I could barely even tell you were kissing me!"

Koga suddenly seemed to loom over me. "Does that mean you want me to kiss you harder? 'Cause I can, you know… I can show you what a _real_ kiss is like Kagome…"

I could tell he was completely serious; his eyes were dark with a strange hunger that made me nervous and excited all at the same time. I tried to regain a sensible train of thought, scared by how I wanted to respond to his request.

At that moment, for some strange reason, another pair of eyes flashed through my mind. A certain golden pair.

I straightened guiltily, cursing those stupid eyes for making me feel this way, and pushed against Koga's chest.

"Koga… I… I can't do this. Not yet."

He allowed me to push him away, his gaze still focused on my face. "Yet? That sounds promising…"

I grabbed our photos, ignoring his comment. I needed to get out of this confining little booth.

We gathered up our packages and exited the photo booth, each with a copy of the pictures. The atmosphere between us quickly returned to normal as Koga made funny comments about people around us or storefronts we passed.

I pushed the incident to the back of my mind. There would be time later to analyze it more closely. Like when I was alone…in my room.

* * *

I locked my door behind me and rushed over to my bed.

Koga and I had made it back just before dusk and, thankfully, he'd let me ride his back to the top of the treacherous shrine stairs. The sled we'd ridden earlier remained at the bottom of the staircase this time, loaded down with just Koga's packages now.

_My_ packages were now lying in a pile on my bed, and I rifled through them impatiently. I found what I was looking for and quickly transferred my bags to my desk so I could flop down on my bed and study the pictures in my hand.

In the first frame we both looked like a pair deer caught in the headlights. The second frame showed a picture of Koga looking at me crazily as I made a goofy face. _Jerk…he told me to make a funny face, and he took the opportunity to make me look insane…._

Our serious faces in the third frame made me smile. Koga looked like a badass, whereas I simply looked like I was squinting very hard at something. _So unfair…_

The fourth frame was a good one. We were both grinning happily, completely at ease, our faces nearly touching.

But the fifth frame…

The fifth frame was the one I studied closely. The camera had captured the kiss at the perfect moment. Both of our eyes were shut, our heads tilted naturally as our lips met. I felt my heartbeat speed up. _What in the world had possessed him to do that?_

And what in the heck was up with my emotions? It was like I couldn't decide if I had enjoyed Koga's kiss or not. A part of me was longing to kiss him again, but another part, slightly stronger, was telling me not to get too involved.

_Don't string him along Kagome… If you're going to kiss him, you need to mean it…_

A golden pair of eyes flashed through my mind again, haunting me.

_Inuyasha..._I shivered at the thought of him. _What am I supposed to do with you?_

_-End- _

* * *

Alright…I've never been in photo booth, so I have no idea how the pictures are taken and whatnot…. I completely guessed about everything that had to do with any of that. Hopefully it was believable enough…

So anyways…Leave a review please!

Gracias! :D

-_RedThread_


	25. The Annual Taisho Christmas Party

**Please **feel free to go back and re-read previous chapters. I know it's been a while…okay _months,_ since I updated, but I don't want anyone to be lost. I, personally, had completely forgotten what the heck was even going on in this story. I literally had to re-read the whole thing before I could even start writing again.

So…do what you will. :) And enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha…

* * *

Chapter 25: The Annual Taisho Christmas Party

-Start—

"Kagome, let's _go_. Get out of the car." My mother turned away from me in exasperation. "I just don't understand what's gotten into you … It's almost like you didn't even want to come."

Well that's because I _didn't_ want to come.

I remained in the car until Mama looked over her shoulder and realized I wasn't following. She gave me 'The Look' that was universal to all parents and I reluctantly opened the car door and slid out of the seat. I took as long as possible to straighten out my dress, knowing that the action was only serving to piss Mama off even further.

_If only you could __**understand**__ Mama…_

But she didn't, and this wasn't exactly the opportune moment to tell her that Inuyasha and I weren't really on talking terms.

"Look Kagome…We're already 30 minutes late and I promised Izayoi that I would help serve drinks, so let's get a _move on. _Your dress looks fine."

I sighed down at the red velvet Christmas dress, that was indeed quite unwrinkled and in fine condition, and then shivered. I should have brought a coat. Standing outside in a strapless, knee-length dress in the dead of winter wasn't exactly the smartest move…

"Let's go…," my mother prodded.

I crossed my arms and hunched against the cold air before following after her. This was the fourth year in a row that I'd worn this stupid dress. The _fourth _year. And I hated it.

"_But it's part of the tradition now…,"_ Mama would say. "_And you look so cute." _Of course that was all it took for me to give in every year, because even if I was out of fashion, I wanted to look cute…for Inuyasha.

My shoulders slumped. This year, there was really no point in trying to gain Inuyasha's attention. Kikyo would be by his side all night, and with her around he probably wouldn't even bother to look at me.

Well…except when he _had _to…. like when we were inevitably forced to dance.

The annual Taisho Christmas Party was really more of a Christmas _Ball_. Big business leaders and prominent CEOs were all invited to attend. Each family was formally announced as they arrived and each family showed off their finery as they descended the Grand Staircase. Couples danced to soft music, women gossiped in tight circles, men talked of business and politics…It was really quite old fashioned.

And each year there was always a special time allotted to the younger crowd so they could control the dance floor. I hadn't really been interested in this until about 3 years ago, when I was 14 years old.

At the insistent prodding of his mother, Inuyasha had finally stepped forward and asked me to dance. I was elated, of course…but had absolutely no idea what I was supposed to do. Dancing was definitely not my forte. I was so nervous that my hands had begun to sweat… and then I was paranoid that Inuyasha would notice, which made my face red, which then ultimately led to me not even paying attention to where I was placing my feet.

Inuyasha's poor toes had to have been swollen to at least twice their size.

That whole night had been a disaster…but at least I'd learned how to dance by the end of it.

Last year and the year before Inuyasha and I had decided to liven things up by turning the dance portion of the night into a competition. The goal: To dance with as many people as possible. The catch_:_ For it to count _you _had to be approachedfirst, not vice versa_._

So basically whoever was asked to dance the most, won.

It was really quite fun, and as of this year we were tied; the previous year in Inuyasha's favor and the year before that in mine.

_Yeah, well…guess that's done and over with though…_I thought sourly. Because tonight Inuyasha would be monopolized by Kikyo, and I of course, would be left by myself with nothing to do and no one to talk to.

_If only Koga hadn't gone out of town to visit relatives…_

He would've come if I'd asked him, no doubt, but that would have been selfish of me to cut into his family time like that. And besides, I didn't really know how to act around him since that photo-booth incident.

I shivered as a frigid wind hit my uncovered legs, and picked up my pace, reaching the front door right on Mama's heels. As soon as I walked into the warm hallway of the Taisho house I sighed happily, my whole body seeming to thaw all at once.

Yet before I could completely relax Mama grabbed my hand and pulled me along behind her. Just before we reached the main entrance hall, where the Grand Staircase was located, she turned and pushed through a different door. We were plunged into darkness as we began to descend a skinny flight of stairs.

_Of course. _

We were taking the back staircase. Our family wouldn't even have been invited to this sort of thing if we hadn't had been close personal friends. Out of all the years we'd come, not once had my family been announced at the top of the Grand Staircase.

When we finally exited the dark passageway, Mama and I found ourselves in the kitchen.

And, oh my god, at the chaos.

You can bet I found my way out of there _real_ quickly.

Mama wasn't so lucky. A red-faced chef grabbed her by the elbow and immediately steered her toward a counter loaded with appetizers, before promptly setting a tray in her hands, and shoving her through a door to serve it.

Well…that's what she said she'd come to do anyway, wasn't it? So who was_ I_ to interfere?

As I stepped away from the busy kitchen doors, I stopped short and gaped at the Winter Wonderland I had stepped into. Everything was fantastic. Christmas lights practically dripped from the second floor banisters and flickering candles filled the giant room with the comforting scents of cinnamon and vanilla. My neck arched back as I stared up at a _huge_ Christmas tree that sparkled in the corner. It must have taken a whole team to get that thing inside, not to mention decorated…

Fake icicles glimmered from the chandelier hanging above the dance floor, making the women in their extravagant gowns below appear sparkly every time they moved. A small group of musicians played soft music and couples swayed together gently, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere. An underlying buzz of voices filled the room and put me at ease.

I closed my eyes and breathed deeply, forgetting about my original feeling of not wanting to come….I wouldn't miss this for the world.

My eyes snapped open as I felt someone tap my shoulder. "Kagome?"

I turned and found myself face to face with Inuyasha's mother, Izayoi.

"Oh good, it's you Kagome. I wasn't sure for a second; you look a lot like that Kikyo girl from behind, you know…"

I refrained from rolling my eyes, though it was hard.

"But anyway," Izayoi continued, "I need you to do me a _huge_ favor." I started to back away as soon as I heard the change in her voice. "Oh, stop looking so frightened Kagome, it's nothing bad…I haven't even told you yet."

I stopped moving away (though it might have been because she'd clamped her hand around my forearm) and stared at her guardedly. "Okay then…," I said slowly, "what is it?"

Izayoi smiled sweetly in that _I've got you now_ kind of way, and proceeded to tell me my mission. "I need you to go drag Inuyasha out of his room. He's been sulking up there all day, and I'm through dealing with him. I figured if anybody could get him out, it'd be you Kagome… but be sure to let him know that if he doesn't make an appearance soon, he'll be in a world of trouble." She gritted her teeth, and I smiled nervously.

"Um…okay. That's fine," I said. Except it_ wasn't _fine_. _"Actually, I'll go do it right this second…" Except I _really_ didn't want to do this.

"Would you?" Izayoi breathed. "Oh, you're such a life saver Kagome!" I let out a sound of surprise as she pulled me into a spontaneous hug. "By the way, you look wonderful, dear," she gushed as she held me back at arm's-length. "The boys will be asking after you all night." Her eyes sparkled at my blush. "Make sure you save a dance for my poor son."

I laughed. "Don't I always? You and my mother will force us to dance before the end of the night anyways …"

Izayoi grinned mischievously, and raised an eyebrow. "We have never _forced _you and Inuyasha to dance, Kagome; both of you are usually quite willing."

I quirked my mouth. _Right…keyword being '__**usually'**__._

Inuyasha's mother gave me one last pat on the shoulder before drifting off to join a group of women, and, after realizing that I was free, I strutted off toward the stairs.

I could do this.

I could do this.

_I can do this!_

_

* * *

_

I couldn't do this.

Five minutes had already passed and I was still standing outside of Inuyasha's bedroom door, my hand poised to knock, but something holding me back. I stood there for a while longer, my hand raised in indecision, trying to fight off the unidentifiable feelings in my chest.

_What is wrong with me? _

I stared down at the familiar doorknob, one I had turned a thousand times.

_It's just Inuyasha…I mean, we aren't exactly the closest of friends right now, but he wasn't so bad last weekend when I made him sit with me…_

The memory of that night caused my body to tremble. _Oh Lord…I __**really**__ can't do this…_

My breath sucked in sharply as the door suddenly swung back, revealing a nicely dressed, smirking hanyou. It took me a moment to realize that my fist was still held in the air, positioned to knock. Inuyasha's eyes gleamed in a flash of amusement as he stared at me, his eyebrow arched sardonically.

"You plan on standing outside my room all night or something?"

I dropped my fist and crossed my arms, trying to hide my embarrassment. "Actually _no_….And I haven't been out here _that_ long, for _your_ information."

Inuyasha tapped his nose. "Yes, you have."

_Crap! Stupid demon senses…_ "Well, anyways…," I said, changing the subject, "Your mother sent me. She said she'd carve your eyeballs out and eat them for breakfast if you didn't show up to the party."

"She said really that?"

"Yep. Word for word." I backed out of the doorway as Inuyasha stepped through into the hall.

"Guess I'd better get down there, then," Inuyasha said as slipped by me, fiddling with his cuffs. He started walking down the hallway toward the sounds of the party, quickly leaving me behind.

Weird.

We'd just had a normal conversation. No yelling, no arguing, no narrowing of the eyes in anger…

_Hmm…_

I followed behind him quietly, my feet padding on the soft carpet in a muted beat. _Kikyo must be on her way over…That's probably why he's not focused on verbally bashing me. _My mood sunk a little. _Or maybe she's already here and he's in a hurry to meet her._

"Hey Kagome… Can you do me a favor?"

Inuyasha stopped walking and I halted just behind him. "Depends on what it is…," I said suspiciously.

Inuyasha turned around and held his wrists toward me. "Fix these."

I hid a smile before grabbing his wrists and pulling him closer. Inuyasha's cuffs looked ridiculous. I bent my head as I focused on gently straightening and then refolding his wrinkled sleeves. "Is it really that hard to straighten a _cuff_?"

He flexed his fingers. "Let's see _you_ try to do something with two-inch claws…"

I grinned, the annoyance in his voice making me relax a little. He sounded like the old Inuyasha…

"There." I said after a while. "Finished."

"Alright now tie this thing."

I put my hands on my hips and stared at the limp tie that was currently draped around Inuyasha's neck. "Geez. You're useless. You do realize that, don't you?"

"Look, just fix the stupid thing, alright?"

I rolled my eyes before grabbing the ends of his tie and crossing them, trying to remember how to do it. Inuyasha stood in silence as I experimented, looping the silky tie around in different positions to see if it would jog my memory. I was so into my task that I didn't realize how close we were until he drew in a deep breath.

I finished fixing his tie, my hand slowly drawing the knot tighter. I flicked my eyes upward, curious to see his expression.

He tilted his head and stared at me intently.

I gulped and looked down.

Inuyasha grabbed my face and forced me to meet his eyes again. He studied me carefully before speaking. "Are you okay?" he whispered.

I stared at him in confusion, not quite sure what he meant. "Um—"

"I'm talking about last weekend. I left you when you fell asleep…so I just…I was wandering if you were okay now," he finished quietly.

I grabbed his hands and lowered them from my face, ignoring the tingly sensation they left behind. "I'm fine, Inuyasha. Koga took me shopping the next day and I didn't even think about it…"

His eyes narrowed at the mention of Koga's name, but his touch was gentle as he gripped my hand. "Alright, I was just checking," he mumbled, before sliding his fingers out of mine.

I smiled, surprised and touched by his words. "Um…Thank you for worrying…"

Inuyasha stared at me for another second, like he was trying to memorize my face, and then turned away. "C'mon, then. Mom's probably going crazy by now." His silver hair swished soundlessly behind him as he walked away.

My heart thudded in confusion.

_What was that all about?_

"Coming?" Inuyasha asked over his shoulder.

I nodded my head haltingly, forcing myself to come out of shock, (because, yes, I was completely _shocked_ by what had just happened) and caught up with him.

Seconds later we emerged on the landing that looked over the Taisho Grand Hall. I paused at the banister and stared at the people below us.

The room had almost filled completely in the past 10 minutes, and I felt my eyes widen at the sheer number of people in the room. "Wow…," I murmured. "Did ya'll invite enough people?" There'd never been this many before. Inuyasha snorted at my question.

"Dad and Sesshomaru made a lot of acquaintances in America."

"And they all flew to _Japan_ for a _Christmas party_?"

"Yeah... a private jet can be a wonderful thing."

I gaped in disbelief. "That's crazy!"

Inuyasha shrugged casually, completely at ease with the idea.

_Rich people are out of their minds…_

My eyes swept over the crowd below us, noting that there were a large number of teenagers. As the band struck up another song I was inspired to go out on a limb….a very shaky limb.

"Hey Inuyasha…,"I paused long enough to make him look at me. "Bet I get asked to dance more than you do this year."

I waited for his reaction, not sure whether or not I had read his mood correctly. My breath whooshed out in relief when the corner of Inuyasha's mouth curled into a smirk.

"You wish…"

I smirked back.

"Oh _really_? Wanna find out then?"

-End-

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Next chapter is written!

Expect an update soon!

Review this chapter while you wait!

:D

Thank You for being patient with me!

-_RedThread _

(B.T.W- I changed my Pen Name from _PaintedWingsMoonlight _to _RedThread_ . So don't freak out…I'm the same person. Nobody took my story or anything. Just thought I'd let everyone know.)


	26. Loopholes

**Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone! **It's kinda embarrassing that I said almost that exact same thing about four chapters ago… Heh, 2010 didn't garner very many updates, eh? So! My New Year resolution is this: I will continue to update in a timely manner! You have my permission to flame me if I don't. :)

Anyways, enjoy this chapter and be sure to review!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha…do I even need to put this anymore?**

**

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**

Chapter 26: Loopholes

-Start—

I used our high vantage point to my benefit, searching the crowd below for the perfect victim.

"Kagome…I have a condition. And I won't play unless you agree to it."

I continued to search. "Is that so?" I asked distractedly.

"Listen…If I win, you have to promise me something."

I stopped searching. He had my full attention now. I put my hands on my hips and turned to face him, suddenly uneasy. "Okay, what is it?" Inuyasha stared out over the crowd as though thinking about how he was going to phrase his answer. I waited, my unease growing with every second.

"If I win, you have to promise to forget about me."

My mouth dropped open. "_What_?"

Inuyasha's gaze shot over to mine, his eyes seeming to burn through me. "You have to erase me from your memory, pretend that you never even met me. If I win, I want you to act like I don't even exist."

I furrowed my brow in confusion, anger beginning to pulse through me. "But why would you want me to do that?"

"Do you agree or not, Kagome?"

I shook my head. "What if I refuse to forget about you?"

"Pointless. One way or another, I'm going to completely erase myself from your memories."

_What the—? _Who did he think he was? My memories were _my _memories, and the only way they were going to change was if _I _changed them. _He's got to be bluffing…This is ridiculous._

"Alright, _fine_," I agreed flippantly, trying to act unconcerned. "But if _I_ win, then you have to agree to buy me a Christmas present, okay?"

Inuyasha growled. "Only if you win."

"Which I will," I quickly shot back. I had to.

By then I'd staked out my first target: a guy who'd asked me to dance _every_ year. I turned away from the banister and started toward the stairs, ready to begin the competition "Game starts as soon as we go down these stairs, alright?"

Inuyasha nodded and followed after me. "I won't go easy on you, Kagome…"

I snorted. "Bring it."

We were separated as soon as we reached the bottom of the staircase, and I instantly began threading through the throngs of people, making my way to the place I had last seen my prey. I tried to focus on where I was going, but I found it hard with Inuyasha's words reverberating through my head. _'If I win, I want you to act like I don't even exist.'…_

_Of course he didn't mean any of that though… There's no way he can erase himself from my memories. It's impossible. _

I gave my head a slight shake, refusing to allow Inuyasha's stupid threat to get to me. I noticed my guy out of the corner of my eye, and made my way over to him. "Hey!" I said familiarly. "I haven't seen you in ages! How are you?"

"Kagome? Is that you? I didn't even realize you were here!"

Yeah right. This guy had been eyeing me all night, even when I'd been standing above him on the second floor with Inuyasha.

Minutes later, Hojo (_that_ was his name…for some reason I couldn't ever seem remember it even though he had to be one of the most annoying people I'd ever met) asked me to dance, and we were headed toward the dance floor, arm in arm.

_Score one for me. _

As we joined the flow of the other softly spinning couples I was satisfied to note that Inuyasha was not yet among them, which meant I was definitely in the lead.

I made small talk with Hojo while discreetly searching the crowd for my next dance partner. I smiled slightly as my eyes made contact with a dark-haired young man. _You will do nicely__…_

If I was going to win this competition I needed to have the next person waiting for me right when I got off the dance floor. So every time Hojo and I spun past the young man, my eyes darted to his, telepathically communicating that _Yes, I would love to dance with you, just let me finish up with this guy first…_

Hojo finally relinquished me, deciding that we needed a break, and just as I let go of Hojo's hand, the dark-haired young man appeared at my elbow. I grinned. I was up by two points now.

But by the time I reached my fourth dance partner, I was beginning to get a little worried. Where was Inuyasha? I hadn't seen him on the dance floor a single time yet. _I thought he wasn't going to go easy on me…and yet I'm already up by __**four**__…_

I apologetically separated from my most recent partner and made my way to the refreshment table, keeping my eyes peeled for Inuyasha the whole way. I continued to glance around even as I loaded my plate with Christmas cookies and little pieces of fruit, hoping to catch a glimpse of him.

"Taking a break?"

My eyes darted over to the person next to me, my heart pounding in surprise. Inuyasha was casually ladling cider into a mug, not looking at me. I frowned. "Well, I figured I could, seeing as I'm in the lead by _four_."

Inuyasha smirked. "Actually you're behind by six…"

"Huh? What are you talking about? You haven't danced a single time. How can I possibly be _behind_ by six?"

He finished filling his cup and then turned to face me, pulling out a sheet of paper at the same time. "See this?" he asked.

"Yeah…what does that have to do with anything?"

"This," Inuyasha said, "is a list of all the girls who want to dance with me…so far."

I carefully studied the 10 different names on the sheet of paper in annoyance. No wonder I hadn't spotted Inuyasha on the dance floor, he'd been too busy compiling this stupid list. "This doesn't count. They have to ask you to dance in person, Inuyasha."

"Since when? The only rule is that the person has to ask you to dance, and this is essentially the same thing since _I _wasn't the one who asked _them_."

"What the heck kind of reasoning is that?" I questioned.

"Smart?"

"When have_ you_ ever been _smart_?"

"Hey! We're taking all the same courses, aren't we?"

"Yeah, but do you make the same grades as me? Nope. Didn't think so…" I grinned in triumph and took a bite of a cookie. "Just keep in mind that it doesn't matter how they ask you, Inuyasha, I'm still going to win."

He took a sip of his drink, eyes gleaming. "You just keep telling yourself that."

I set my now empty plate on the tray of a passing waiter, a plan formulating in my mind. I needed to cut my dances shorter with each guy if I wanted to catch up and stay ahead of Inuyasha. Maybe I should find a group of guys myself and see if I could get my own waiting list started…

I was startled out of my thoughts as Inuyasha sat his cup down with a thud, a small frown creasing his face. "May as well start the torture…," he grumbled. "I see Machiko over there searching for me, and she's first up."

"Ugh, _that_ Machiko? I can't _stand_ her… she'll talk you to death if you aren't careful."

"Believe me, I know," Inuyasha sighed.

"Well you have fun with that," I said, smiling evilly as the girl started in our direction. "Cause it looks like you've been spotted."

"Inuyasha!"

I made a speedy escape as the chipper girl began pushing through a crowd of people to get to Inuyasha. Dear Lord, I hoped that she hadn't seen me. I'd never get to dance with anybody if she was latched onto my side all night. I glanced behind to see if Machiko _had_ noticed me, and let out sudden yelp of surprise as I collided with somebody.

_Ah, crap…_

"Damn! I swore I wouldn't get any food or drink on this jacket, and now look, it's covered in punch."

I stared at the growng spot on the young man's dark jacket in panic. "Oh my god, I am _so_ sorry! Hold on, look, here's a napkin." I swiped a napkin from a nearby refreshment table and began to dab at the jacket furiously, trying to make the spot disappear. It was definitely going to leave a stain. "There, that's better… kinda." I bit my lip in worry. "I'm so sorry! This is completely my fault. Is there any way I can make it up to you?"

I stared up at the guy's face for the first time since I'd run into him, and my heart began to race. He was handsome I realized, like, youkai handsome. I was suddenly self- conscious and my gaze shifted to my feet in embarrassment as I waited for his answer.

"Dance with me."

My head jerked up in surprise. "Huh?"

"You can repay me with a dance," the young man restated. He stared down at me with dark grey eyes and a cocky expression, almost as if he knew something I didn't.

"O-okay," I stuttered, flustered by the intensity of his gaze and the unexpected turn in events.

He reached for my hand and guided me to the dance floor, his other hand resting gently on the small of my back. _Well… he makes point number five, I guess. _Inuyasha and Machiko had swept past us, and I'd suddenly remembered the competition. This guy was good-looking, but unfortunately I wasn't going to get to dance with him for very long; I had to keep things moving.

"So what's your name?"

I jerked my eyes from Inuyasha and back to the guy in front of me. "Oh, um…I'm Kagome Higurashi." He smiled at me in satisfaction, and I furrowed my brow in annoyance. "And your name is…?"

"I want to see how long it takes you to remember…"

"What? Have I met you before?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, I am your boyfriend after all."

_What the hell? _"I don't have a boyfriend."

The guy smirked. "Sure you do Kagome. We've been going out for, what is it now? Eleven years?" He cocked an eyebrow and appeared to be doing some quick calculations in his head. "Yeah, eleven years."

I scoffed. "Right. So we've been a couple since, what? Kindergarten?"

The guy grinned, and I was struck with a sudden wave of familiarity. "Exactly! Sorry I didn't keep in touch after I moved…"

_What the heck is this guy going on about? The only person who moved away in kindergarten was…_

"Bankotsu?"

I stopped moving, struck by my revelation, and stood in surprise, staring at the handsome guy in front of me.

"Hey! What gives?" I looked over Bankotsu's shoulder at Inuyasha, because he was the one who had complained. He'd switched partners, and they had nearly collided with Bankotsu and I when we'd stopped moving.

"Keep dancing," Bankotsu urged. "We're about to get trampled." I forced my feet to move, but I was still stunned by the fact that this was _Bankotsu_ I was dancing with. Bankotsu, the love of my kindergarten heart… at least until Inuyasha had arrived.

"How in the world did you recognize me?" No wonder he'd been giving me those smug looks.

"Well, I'd heard you were here, so that helped a bit. But I wasn't having much luck finding you, because I really had _no_ clue what you looked like these days…then, low and behold, _you _ran into _me_." He smirked. "I suspected it was you when I got a good look at your face, but it wasn't until you told me your name that I confirmed it. You really haven't changed much over the years, you know…"

I blinked up at him. Well _he'd _certainly changed over the years. He was taller, his voice deeper, his face more angular than I remembered. And what was with the purple cross on his forehead? Was it a tattoo?

"You're wondering about my tattoo aren't you?" He raised his eyebrows in question, and I couldn't help but nod. "I got involved with a gang called the Band of Seven." His eyes darkened. "'Til Dad forced me to end those relations. He didn't want me trashing the family name or the name of his precious business."

"Didn't your family move to America?"

"Yeah, and we'll head back after Christmas. My old man will die if he doesn't return to work; it's basically his whole life."

I processed all of this, amazed that circumstances had allowed Bankotsu and I to meet again. "So your Dad and Mr. Taisho must be business partners or something, right?"

Bankotsu nodded as we moved around the dance floor in a continuous pattern. "You could say that. Dad owns a major recording company and Mr. Taisho is one of the major stockholders, so he owns a good portion of the company too."

"That's interesting… I never knew Inuyasha's dad was into recording companies and stuff."

Bankotsu made a sound of amusement. "That man is involved in a little of _everything_. I bet he's part owner of most major businesses in America. I mean look at all the top dogs here…I see the Coke CEO and Pepsi manager eating cookies together over there, and that woman is the wife of the guy who owns Ford..."

I tried to follow his gaze, amazed that he recognized so many major company owners. "You must attend this kind of thing a lot, huh? I mean, banquets and whatnot."

Bankotsu heaved an all suffering sigh. "Yeah, Dad forces me too, since I'm the heir to his business and all… He wants me to make 'valuable acquaintances' that can be counted on as possible future allies." Bankotsu ground his teeth together. "Dad is also trying to hook me up with a wife that has good connections so that she can benefit the business as well." His eyes met mine in annoyance. "He's about to drive me insane."

I laughed, amazed at how different our lives were. "Wow. I'm poor, but at least I get to marry who I want."

Bankotsu squeezed my hand gently. "If it were up to me I wouldn't get married at all," he said gruffly. "But anyways, tell me how _you've_ been since kindergarten, Kagome… I'm sure you've heard enough about me."

"Hmm…there's not much to tell you, actually. I still live in the same house, go to the same local schools, see the same exact people…"

"So, like, nothing super amazing has happened around here?"

"Nope. Trust me, you haven't missed much." _And you wouldn't be interested in the tragic adventure of my pitiful love life so…_

"Well that's lame…"

I smiled. "I know…" I searched for something else to tell him, somehow wanting to show him that I had changed a little bit over the years. "Um…I recently joined a band though."

"You play an instrument or something?" Bankotsu looked quite amused at the notion of me playing a musical instrument.

"_Actually_, I do vocals," I sniffed. "Koga plays guitar and does back-up vocals, while Hakkaku plays bass and Ginta does drums. We performed at the Kyoto Fair a couple of months back, but we haven't been very active since then..."

"That's interesting… I didn't think Koga would be the type you chose to hang with."

I bristled. "Why not?"

"I just remember Koga and those other two always being trouble makers, that's all." Bankotsu and I took another turn around the dance floor, his feet guiding us expertly.

"Well if I recall correctly, you weren't exactly a saint yourself…"

Bankotsu laughed, loud and full. "Okay, I admit. I put the sand in your sandwich back then, but it was only because I liked you. And hey, I figured it was called a _sand_wich for a reason, so I decided to help you out."

I glared up at him. "I knew it was you, you know. And I was so pissed that I decided, then and there, all boys were scum."

"Yet you still agreed to be my girlfriend."

"It was only for the experience. I wanted to know what it was like before I made the decision to swear off all men."

Bankotsu whistled lowly. "That would have been a big decision for a five year old, don't you think?"

"Yeah, well, it probably would have been a smart one…," I mumbled. My eyes automatically searched for the familiar form of Inuyasha, and I suddenly froze. _The competition!_ I was probably _so_ far behind! "Look Bankotsu, it's been nice talking, but I promised another guy I would dance with him before the night was over so…"

"Okay, fine. I can take a hint. I'll catch you again for another dance and we'll talk a little more, okay?"

I smiled at him as he led me off the floor. "That sounds good. I'll see you later, then." Bankotsu and I split as he headed off to nearby drink table and I took off in the direction of a group of guys. I had some serious catching up to do…

* * *

I managed to get six guys to ask me for a dance, so with all of them in line that put me up to a grand total of 11. Who knew what number Inuyasha was up to. I was a little nervous to find out myself… But as we danced past each other on the dance floor I whispered my number out to him. "11."

His eyes connected with mine as we passed each other again. "13."

_Dangit! _

But hey…he wasn't _that_ far ahead. The night was still salvageable.

I danced through my waiting list and then danced another round with Bankotsu, raising my score to 12. "Hey, Bankotsu. Do you think you could do me a favor?"

He raised an eyebrow in question. "It's possible… But explain first and then I'll decide."

I smiled sweetly and gave him the low down about the competition. "So you see, I need more guys to ask me to dance, so I can win."

"And you want me to go around and get guys to ask you to dance, right?"

"Precisely."

"Isn't that kind of cheating?"

"Hey, Inuyasha has his loopholes, and I have mine. Are you going to help me or not?"

Bankotsu smirked. "Sure, why not? It beats standing around aimlessly with nothing to do."

Within 30 minutes I'd upped my score by 6. 2 hours after _that _and I was up to an astounding total of 42. I latched onto Bankotsu for one more dance, boosting my total to 43, and then demanded a break. "I swear my feet are going to fall off if I keep going any longer."

"What number is Inuyasha up to?"

"Don't know," I replied as I slumped into one of the many chairs sitting along the edges of the room. "Last I checked he'd topped at 32. But that was probably an hour ago. You think he's still ahead of me?"

Bankotsu shrugged a shoulder. "Could be. I mean, he's still out there dancing…I'm pretty sure he isn't flying through his partners like you were though. Those girls seem clingy."

I laughed bitterly, watching as Inuyasha and a pretty girl danced closely together, his hands resting softly at her waist while hers draped daintily over his shoulders. "It's like that every year."

"Jealous?"

I snapped my head side-ways in surprise, and stared at Bankotsu. "Is it really _that_ obvious? Why does everybody seem to notice except for him?"

Bankotsu cast a glance in Inuyasha's direction. "How long have you known him?"

I sighed. "Since the year you moved."

"He's noticed then."

I continued to stare at Bankotsu thoughtfully, wondering if perhaps he was right. My eyes soon drifted downward though and I gazed at my fingers, watching as they wound themselves together in frustration. "Even if he _has_ noticed," I said softly, "he's made it more than clear that he's not interested." I stood up then, my fingers clenching into fists by my side. I refused to dwell on the subject. After all, I had a contest to win.

Right at that moment Izayoi brushed by, pausing long enough to grab my hands. "Did you save a dance?"

"Huh?"

"This is the last song, you know. You'd better get over there and keep your promise."

_Right. _

I caught a flash of my mother over Izayoi's shoulder and mentally rolled my eyes as she gave a not-so-subtle hand motion in Inuyasha's direction. I closed my eyes and let out a breath in defeat. "Alright, alright…Geez, you two are so weird about this stupid dance…"

Izayoi smiled innocently and drew Bankotsu into conversation even as she pushed me off in the direction of her son. I stumbled slightly and then straightened before setting my sights on the other side of the room.

_The last dance, huh? I guess it's time to tally up._

Inuyasha and his pretty female partner separated (reluctantly on her part) just as I made it to the edges of the crowd surrounding the dance floor. I waited patiently for Inuyasha to make his way over to me, knowing that Izayoi had probably gotten her message across to him too, somehow.

I lifted my chin in challenge as he stepped in front of me. "Inuyasha…"

"Kagome," he replied evenly.

We stood there for a moment, sizing each other up.

"Well let's get this over, then." Inuyasha stood with his hand outstretched, his eyes focused on the dance floor.

"Uh uh," I shook my head and crossed my arms in defiance. "You have to ask me properly."

Inuyasha growled and his golden gaze shot back over to me. "Don't make this difficult Kagome."

"Do it, or I'm not coming. And you know how our mothers' can be…in fact they're probably watching somewhere right now with baited breath, waiting for me to grab your hand and-"

"Alright, fine! _Kagome_, would you _please_ grace me with your presence for this last dance?"

I ignored all the sarcasm punched into that single question, and smiled with satisfaction instead. "Why of _course_ I would, _Inuyasha_. Thank you for asking!" I was rewarded with another light growl from him, which only caused me to grin wider. I slid my hand into Inuyasha's and allowed him to pull me into his arms and swing us onto the dance floor. I carefully placed my forearms around his neck and reveled in the sensation of being so close to him. I'd waited for this dance all year.

We moved around in silence for a round or two before he started in on me. "So…who's the guy?"

"Which guy? There's about a hundred of them here, Inuyasha…"

"I'm talking about the one you danced with, like, five times! And don't use that tone of voice with me…it implies that you think I'm stupid."

I rolled my eyes, secretly enjoying his annoyance. I knew exactly how he felt about that tone of voice. It was why I'd used it. "Well if you must know, _that guy_ is Bankotsu. We used to go to kindergarten together. He moved away before you came along though, so you don't know him."

Inuyasha scowled. "Well, I don't like him."

"You don't like anyone," I sighed. I glanced up slyly. "Except for Kikyo that is…and speaking of, where is Kikyo? I figured she would be here tonight."

Inuyasha stared moodily over my shoulder, his golden eyes diverted from mine. "She hasn't come back from Kyoto yet."

_Is he worried?_

"So…when is she coming back?"

"Why are you so concerned about when Kikyo is coming back from frickin' Kyoto? I thought you hated her."

His claws tightened around my waist and I involuntarily shrank away from him. "I was just curious, geez. Ever heard of polite conversation?"

"Well let's politely talk about something else."

_Fine by me…_

My thoughts turned to the competition and I did a quick mental calculation of my total before asking Inuyasha for his. "So…How many girls asked you to dance?"

Inuyasha grinned cockily and I felt his hands shift on my waist and the tension fade from his shoulders. "43," he stated proudly. "And you?"

"43 guys asked me to dance too…"

I smirked at Inuyasha's face. He thought we'd tied.

"But," I continued, "you made number 44."

Victory was mine.

-End-

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Bankotsu?…I know. Where the heck did he come from? Lol. I _had_ to include him though. I just _had to, _okay?

Review Please! **I'd love to hit 300 reviews! **I'll see ya'll soon!

_-RedThread_


	27. The Meeting

Alright…let's get things moving. :) Enjoy…

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha

* * *

Chapter 27: The Meeting

-Start—

Inuyasha and I spun to a standstill as the final chords of the last song faded from the air. I didn't want to step away from him, lose contact, let him out of my sight. I wanted time to stand still. I wanted him to stay with me.

For a fleeting second we stood there, Inuyasha's hands lightly braced on my hips, my arms resting on his shoulders, and we stared at each other. But his eyes were dark, full of secrets that I, once upon a time, would have been privy to and yet now could only guess at.

_What has happened to us, Inuyasha? Why are we like this? _

As always, he pulled away first and the fragile moment was ruined. I cleared my throat, forcing myself to break the silence that had descended upon us like a heavy blanket. "I, uh…I'll be expecting to receive that present on Christmas Day."

Inuyasha stared down at me with shadowy eyes. "Duh… it's a _Christmas_ present."

I smiled weakly. "Now, now…no need to be bitter just because I beat you." But I didn't care about my victory anymore. I just wanted to know what it was that Inuyasha was hiding from me.

"Everybody, if I may have your attention please…"

Inuyasha glanced up at the top of the Grand Staircase. "Dad…," he mumbled. "Let's hope he makes this shorter than last year..."

I turned and followed Inuyasha's gaze, eager to catch a glimpse of Mr. Taisho. I hadn't seen him since before his return from America, which had been months ago. He stood at the top of the stairs; his long white hair and dark colored suit made a striking combination. My eyes traced the familiar streaks of purple that lined each of Mr. Taisho's cheekbones, and I couldn't help but imagine what Inuyasha would look like with similar markings of his own.

A picture of Sesshomaru came to mind, which got me thinking. "Say, where is Sesshomaru?" I whispered over my shoulder. "I haven't seen him all night."

Inuyasha shrugged elusively. "You know how he feels about these things…besides that, I don't keep up with him, so how should I know?"

Right. Inuyasha's older brother was more of a loner than a party-goer. One year a girl actually asked him to dance and I thought he was going to absolutely _murder_ her. I shivered and turned my attention back to what Mr. Taisho was saying.

His voice travelled across the hall loudly, ensuring that everybody present could hear what he had to say. "First of all, I would like to thank everyone who has helped and supported my business as well as my family this year. Without all of you, we would be nowhere."

Polite applause broke out and Mr. Taisho waited for it to die down before continuing. His face became solemn as he launched into his next sentence. "It is with a heavy heart that I have to announce this as the last Annual Taisho Christmas party that will be held in Japan." He paused again for a short moment. "As of next week, my family and I will be moving to America."

Several gasps filled the room, including mine.

_Moving? To America? What!… why?_ My head snapped around to see Inuyasha's reaction, but his face showed no emotion. _So he knew, then? Is this what he's been hiding?_

"It is true," Mr. Taisho continued. "I have invested in several new business ventures, and in order to make it easier on my family and I, we have made the unanimous decision to move to America. We all would like to thank the friends who have put up with us for the past 11 years, because sometimes, and believe me I know, the Taisho family can be a handful."

A string of laughs circulated around the large hallway, lightening the mood.

Inuyasha's father smiled, his fangs glinting sharply. "As you walk out the door, please be sure to sign the guest book and put your phone number, so that even if we are in America, my family and I will be able to stay in touch with you. Once again thank you, everybody, and have a Merry Christmas."

He stepped away from the stairway, signaling that his speech was over, and people began to stir, gathering jackets and finding family members. I, on the other hand, remained motionless, my thoughts still trying to wrap around what Mr. Taisho had just said.

_They're moving? …Next week? _My mind slowly came to a conclusion._ But that means…_

I turned abruptly, half surprised to still see Inuyasha standing behind me. "You aren't coming back to school… are you?" I asked calmly.

His eyes connected with mine cautiously, like he expected me to launch into a meltdown at any given moment. "No," he said steadily. "No, I'm not. I already gathered my things and turned in my official form of withdrawal."

I arranged my features carefully, a look of cool defiance coming over my face. "Does everybody else at school know?"

His eyes slipped downward. "I told my closest friends."

_Which obviously didn't include me. _"I see."

I held myself perfectly still, unable to decide what to do next. I knew that I was in a state of shock, and that was most likely the reason I was acting in such a calm and controlled manner. Mr. Taisho's words echoed through my head. _'…As of next week, my family and I will be moving to America…'_

I needed to get to a quiet place and be alone. And I needed to get there before the truth finally sank in and my reaction began.

I made a decision.

My hand shot out in front of me. "Well," I breathed, "it was nice knowing you, Inuyasha. Don't forget about all of us over here in Japan…America is a big place."

The dog hanyou stared at my hand in surprise. This was obviously _not_ the way he'd expected me to respond. His eyes rose from my outstretched hand to my face. "Kagome-," he began. But I refused to listen. At that moment I wanted nothing more than to get away from him.

"Just shake my hand, Inuyasha," I hissed, "and I'll be on my way. I have to say goodbye to Bankotsu too."

Inuyasha's eyes flicked down to my hand again, his expression shifting from surprise to cool indifference. "Fine…"

When our hands finally met, I gripped his lightly and forced a fake smile onto my face. "Goodbye, then," I said, "and good luck." I turned away and our clasped hands slid apart. I made myself to take one step, and then another, forcing myself to move away from him until I was running, pushing through droves of people, heading for the kitchen.

I needed to find my mother. I had to tell her it was fine to go home without me.

Because I'd made a decision. And that decision was to stay.

Inuyasha was going to face me whether he liked it, or not.

* * *

After cornering my mother and feeding her an excuse as to why she could leave without me, I found Bankotsu and said my goodbyes to him. We exchanged phone numbers and email addresses and with a final hug, he left me in search of his family.

I drew in a deep breath. _Now I just have to wait until everybody leaves. _I clenched my fists and set off at a determined stride toward the tiny, hidden staircase my mother and I had used earlier. That was where I would wait. I could be alone there…and I could also keep tabs on the people leaving.

I snuck through the kitchen, entered the dark passageway, and cautiously made my way about halfway up. I felt safer in the middle, equidistance from either doorway at the top and bottom of the staircase and better protected from the possibility of discovery.

I sank down onto the stairs and leaned my head against the cool wall, allowing myself to simply _be._ I breathed in and out, counting each breath to distract myself. _Don't think about it Kagome, don't think about it…_

My plan was to stay until everyone was gone, and then make my way to Inuyasha's room and confront him there. Because we were not about to be separated like this…

Of course, it's not like tonight would be the _very_ last time I saw him before he moved. If he were true to his word, and brought me a present, I would be seeing him on Christmas Day. But then we would be surrounded by my family, and I needed this confrontation to be private.

_Just breathe…_

What would I say to him?

_Breathe…_

What would I do?

_Don't think, just breathe…_

I took a deep breath, holding it in, feeling it start to burn…

…and then I burst out crying.

_This will probably be the last time I'm ever alone with him… What if… what if I never see him again after he moves? _

The tears came harder and my breaths became shakier. I tried to stay quiet but my tiny, shuddering gasps echoed in the darkness, seeming extraordinarily loud against the quieter din of people leaving.

_"If I win, you have to promise to forget about me."_

_"What if I refuse…"_

_"Pointless. One way or another, I'm going to completely erase myself from your memories."_

Is this what he'd meant? I would never see him again, and so, over time he would completely erase himself from my memories? If this were the case, then he obviously had no intentions of keeping in touch either…

_Why?_

I pounded my fist into the steps. _Whywhywhy?_

My glare seared through the darkness as I furiously wiped under my eyes, trying to rid my face of my tears. I was going to get to the bottom of this. I was so sick of his nonchalant, indifferent, I-know-something-and-I'm-not-going-to-tell-you attitude that I was willing to do anything to break through to him.

Inuyasha might have wanted _me_ to forget about _him_, but I sure as hell wasn't going to let _him _forget about _me…_not by a long shot.

I would find something to say to him. And I would make sure it was something he would remember for the rest of his life.

* * *

I must have sat on those dark stairs and cried for at least an hour. It's like once I'd started, I couldn't stop. I cried for Inuyasha. I cried for Koga. I cried for Sango. I cried for Kikyo and her little sister. I cried for my mom, my brother, my grandpa, and my dad. But most of all, I cried for myself.

I cried for myself and the future that I would never have; the future where Inuyasha and I were finally together and everything was as it _should_ be.

In one week the guy I loved would be boarding a plane and flying across the sea to a country located on a different continent, and because of this, I _cried._

My throat was soar from holding back my sobs, and I was sure that I had rivers of mascara dribbling down my face, but at the moment I could've cared less. I ran a hand through my hair and laid back on the stairs, my breathing still hitched, but a lot less hysterical than it had been. I think I was actually starting to run out of tears too…

I wiped my nose and closed my eyes, feeling the swollen soreness of them, and wondering how I was going to fix myself before my confrontation with Inuyasha. I lay there still and quiet, my eyelids heavy and my hair flattened under me. How long had I been on these stairs?

I swallowed shakily and then listened.

Nothing.

The sounds of departure had faded, and the hallway above me was finally empty of people.

I sucked in a deep breath, allowing the silence to calm me.

I needed to get a hold of myself.

"I was starting to think you'd ditched us… Did you get the weapon?"

My eyes snapped open. I recognized that voice even though it was nothing more than a faint echo.

Inuyasha was talking to someone in the hallway at the top of the staircase.

The person replied, and I strained to hear what they were saying. An idea hit me and I sat up, fumbling with the front of my dress. I'd stored my demon ring in my bra, and it took a few seconds to dig it out, but as soon as I found it I slipped it on.

The conversation going on above me instantly became crystal clear.

"…like I would ditch. I'm in this until the end, whether you _or _your father approve."

I crept up the stairs toward the voices, my footsteps light.

"You're a human girl Kikyo. It's dangerous." Inuyasha's voice sounded tired, like this was a conversation they'd already had several times.

"I'm a _miko_, Inuyasha. It's practically my _job_ to destroy demons. Besides, I have my mom's sacred bow and arrows now, so my powers should be even stronger. I really wish you would _quit pretending_ to worry about me," she hissed.

_What the heck are they talking about? _

"Keh," he scoffed. "It's _Kaede_ I'm worried about. What is she going to do if you die?"

"Your father will handle her. She isn't to know about any of this, Inuyasha. Got that?"

The door at the top of the stairs was slightly ajar and I moved as close as I dared, hoping to catch a glimpse of them. Inuyasha had his back to the door and Kikyo stood in front of him, her arms crossed, expression defiant. This was clearly a fight. Inuyasha shifted and I shrank back from the crack in the doorway, scared that he might have sensed me.

But he was too involved with Kikyo. I regained my spot next to the door and peered through the thin gap.

"So did your Dad make the announcement?" she questioned, shifting the flow of the conversation.

I watched as Inuyasha nodded his head.

Kikyo smirked. "How'd she take it?"

He turned his head to the side and looked down, his voice a low rumble when he replied. "She shook my hand and wished me good luck. I don't think it's really hit her yet."

"You know," I watched as Kikyo moved closer to him, her voice dropping to a seductive whisper, "I could replace her… if you wanted. We look just alike, after all." She was touching him now, her hands braced on his chest as she stared up at him with dark eyes.

"Fuck off Kikyo." Inuyasha grabbed her hands and pushed her away. "It's not like that between me and Kagome."

I flinched.

"Oh, please," Kikyo said her voice going back to normal. "The only reason you're doing this is because you love her."

Inuyasha was on her in a second, slamming her against the wall, claws digging into her shoulders. "You don't know _anything,_" he snarled.

I stared in shock, my mind stuck on only one thing, despite the fact that Kikyo was being hurt. _He…he didn't deny it…_

Even though she was pinned against a wall, Kikyo stared at him balefully, a smirk on her face. "So you're saying," she taunted, "that if _he_ got a hold of her, you would care less?"

Inuyasha growled, his claws sinking further into the flesh of her shoulders. "I cut my connections with Kagome so that that would never happen," he whispered harshly. "His conflict is with the Taisho family now, not her's."

They stared into each other's eyes, facing off in some sort of internal battle. Seconds passed and though Kikyo hadn't shown a sign of pain yet, she now began to wince. Inuyasha suddenly released her, allowing her to slump against the wall, and spun away. They were across the room now, further from my hiding place.

Kikyo laughed, the sound scratchy and severe against the silence of the hallway. "You just completely ignored the question, Inuyasha."

I backed away as he stalked past the door, angry energy emanating from him. "Come on," he said in a tightly controlled voice. "The meeting is starting."

Kikyo followed after him in silence, the shoulders of her shirt splotched with blood.

* * *

My back hit the wall and I slid down until I was crouching, my head braced in my hands. What had just happened?

_None of that made any sense… _

Who was the _he_ they were talking about? And what did _he _have to do with my family? As far as I knew we'd never had any conflicts with anyone…

_And…what was with the whole 'because you love her' thing?_

I squeezed my fingers, clenching my hair. Any distress from earlier had disappeared as I struggled think through the strange encounter I'd just witnessed.

I sat in the darkness, the silence engulfing me once again. Inuyasha and Kikyo's voices echoed in my head, and I squished my eyes shut trying to block them out. It took me a few seconds to realize that the voices I was hearing were not the echoes of Kikyo and Inuyasha. These were different voices, belonging to different people. A lot of people.

_Inuyasha did say something about a meeting…_

I straightened, my curiosity piqued. My head cocked to the side as I tried to pinpoint exactly where the voices were coming from. It didn't take long. Obviously the meeting was being held in the hall where the dance had taken place only hours earlier.

I slinked down the stairs, the voices growing louder as I grew closer to the exit at the bottom. I reached the end of the passageway and scanned the kitchen to see if anyone was in there, but the lights were off and the air was still. I snuck out of my hiding place, moving through the dark kitchen with ease. The large swinging door that led into the great hall had a circle window that dominated the top half it, making my job easy.

I glanced through the glass window, not sure what to expect. And what I saw didn't fail to impress. The room was packed with demons. I watched as a man slid a ring off his finger, smoothly transforming into a fox youkai.

My eyebrows furrowed together as I wondered exactly what _kind_ of meeting this was. I watched as several more people, all people I recognized from the party, transformed into youkai. For some reason I felt betrayed. Why had all these demons disguised themselves?

My thoughts faltered as a voice began speaking.

"Welcome everybody. Thank you for joining us tonight."

The crowd stirred with an expectant air, conversations died down to whispers. I slipped through the swinging door and stood in the room with everybody else. I figured my demon form would allow me blend right in. Regardless of this I still stayed close to the kitchen door, my back pressed against the cool metal. If worse came to worse, I would push through the door and follow the escape route I had planned out: through the kitchen, up the stairs, and out the front door.

I studied the people around me, noticing how still and quiet they had become. All eyes were turned toward the Grand Staircase.

I followed suit.

Inuyasha's father stood about halfway up, staring down at the crowd. His gaze was cool, threatening. My youkai instincts cowered, acknowledging him as Leader.

"Friends," Mr. Taisho began, a feral smile curling his lips. "I have asked all of you to come here for one reason, and I do believe you all know what that reason is."

Growls and hisses erupted around the room and my body tensed in preparation for flight. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, and I'm not ashamed to admit I was a little scared. I flinched in surprise when Mr. Taisho's voice boomed across the hall again, this time louder, full of suppressed rage.

"6 years ago, my best friend Hisoka Higurashi was murdered," he glared around the room, allowing his words to sink in. My eyes widened in disbelief as the full weight of what he'd just said hit me; my body was suddenly full of dread. This couldn't be happening. _He couldn't possibly be talking about my dad… _

When Mr. Taisho spoke again his voice was little more than a low whisper. "And I want revenge on the bastard who did it…"

Every demon in the room stared at him in rapt attention, waiting for him to go on.

"I've been chasing this guy for nearly 1 year," he said, his voice louder now. "And the slippery son of a bitch has gotten away every single time…"

_No… Dad died in a car crash…_

But really, what did I know? I hadn't seen the wreck or the condition Dad's body had been in... In fact the only thing I _did _know was what the police told us.

_Murdered… _I thought numbly._ If he was murdered then who did it… and why?_

"This has grown to more than a simple game of hide and seek," I heard Mr. Taisho say. "He's building an army in America, and it's obvious his intentions for this army are _not_ peaceful. If my suspicions are correct, then he's planning something big." Mr. Taisho glanced around the room, his steely eyes meeting those of the youkai standing below him. "In order to stop his plan and get revenge, I'm going to need allies."

He began to pace, his hands clasped behind his back.

"And that's where you all come in."

The room was instantly plunged into chaos. Shouts pierced the air, fists pumped, claws flashed, teeth were bared. I pressed out of the way as a mass of bodies pushed past me in an effort to move closer to the stairs.

Inuyasha's dad stopped pacing and held out his arms in a signal for silence. A hush fell over the room, calming the fierce battle aura that had been raging seconds before…barely. Honestly, I was more frightened of the suppressed aura than the raging one…

"I know that he has slighted each and every one of you in some way," Mr. Taisho continued. "But if you join with me and help fight against him, I _promise_, you will get your revenge."

_But who is __**he**__? Just say his name already!_

"The battlefield has shifted from Japan to America and my son, Sesshomaru, is in America right now, gathering information. In fact, rumor has it that _he_ is over there as well." Mr. Taisho flicked his eyes over the crowd, sending out a challenge. "I will not force you to join my alliance or leave your family and homeland, but believe me, in the end you will not regret it." His claws glinted sharply as he threw his hand out in a gesture that encompassed the entire room. "Naraku's death is imminent. Join me, my friends. Let us speed things up and put an end to him!"

I fell back through the swinging door and landed on the ground, hard. The cheers from the next room seemed to get loud and then soft as the door continued to swing back and forth.

_Na..Naraku? Mr. Taisho is saying that someone named Naraku murdered my father?_

I sat on my butt in the shadowy kitchen, an image of a dark, greasy man appearing in my mind. He sat in a soundproof room in an underground bar. His eyes gleamed and, even now, I could feel his heavy aura choking me.

I knew who Mr. Taisho was talking about.

_When Naraku is displeased,_ Koga's voice whispered,_ bad things happen…_

-End-

* * *

Hisoka = Secrets

Okay, so this chapter is the start of the end. Answers are about to start coming quick and hard. I can't tell how many chapters are left, but I'm going to say quite a few. I don't want to wrap things up too hurriedly.

Anyways, thanks for reading and be sure to leave a review! So glad I finally hit **300!**

Expect another update soon!

-_RedThread_


	28. A Dangerous Mind

Thanks for all the feedback on last chapter! I hope this one is just as satisfying. :P

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha

* * *

Chapter 28: A Dangerous Mind

-Start—

I stood, scrambling off the floor with a sudden fierce energy.

I had to get out of here.

Too much information had been thrust upon me in too short a time period. I needed some cold air, and I needed some space.

I rushed toward the staircase and bounded up the steps, reaching the top in just three short strides. My body trembled in anticipation as I approached the main doors and burst through into the snowy night.

_Naraku…_

I took a deep breath, allowing the cool air to sting my lungs and temporarily numb me. I tried to make it last as long as possible before my youkai abilities kicked in and the feeling disappeared.

_Naraku…_

Despite my altered state of mind, I took a second to cock my ear and listen for any sounds of perusal.

None.

Which was good. Nobody had seen me leave.

_Naraku…_

His name repeated through my mind with the constancy of ocean waves, bashing against the side of my brain until I was forced to acknowledge it. My lips curled back from my teeth and I let out a strangled noise that sounded like an enraged animal.

_Naraku…_

I had no doubts that the Naraku Mr. Taisho had spoken of and the Naraku that I knew as my band manager were one and the same. I'd always felt something odd about that man, something vile and disgusting.

He had murdered my father.

And I…

I had _talked _to him. Even accepted a frickin' _present_ from him.

_Naraku…_

My claws scraped at the ring that adorned my right hand and I very nearly pulled it off before I realized that I would probably freeze to death if I did. I glared at the tiny circle of metal, wanting to rip it from my finger and chunk it into the woods as far as I could.

But that would be stupid.

I needed to keep it on until I made it home…

Then I could decide what to do with it.

Then I could decide what to do with _everything_.

* * *

Fortunately Mama was already asleep when I got there. And Grandpa and Souta hadn't even _gone_ to the party, so I knew they were down for the count.

I crept into my bedroom on silent feet and then leaned against the door, locking it behind me, just in case. The last thing I needed was to talk to someone… especially someone from my family. I wasn't stable enough to face them yet.

I clenched my eyes shut and slid the Demon Ring from my finger, allowing my body to relax with the transformation. Only when I could feel the last ripples of the Change melting down my body did I open my eyes and stare around my room.

I wiped a hand down my face in exhaustion. Maybe this was all a big, messed up dream…

But the lump of dread that had settled in the pit of my stomach told me otherwise. This was real. 6 years ago, Naraku had really murdered my father, and now Mr. Taisho was out for his blood. Inuyasha was helping, along with Kikyo. And they were headed for America.

_Oh, God…_

I staggered to my bed and collapsed onto the mattress weakly. They were headed to America to hunt Naraku, but…what if he was really still here, in Japan?

I flung an arm over my face and was forced to ask myself the next question. _Should I tell them what I know about Naraku?_

I sat still for a moment, thinking. I could hear the wind pick up outside, one of Grandpa's wind-chimes clanging in protest. The dread in my stomach hardened into a spiky ball of cold conviction. I removed my arm and opened my eyes in decision.

_No…_

I needed to act like I had no idea what was going on. Inuyasha had purposely pushed me out of his life so that I would be clueless, but safe, and that's the way things needed to remain.

…For now.

I had no intentions of staying out of this war. That slimy bastard, Naraku, had killed my father and indirectly destroyed a piece of my mother too. He owed me a life, and I was going to make sure I collected it.

The question was _how_?

Naraku was a hanyou. And if all hanyou were like Inuyasha, then Naraku probably had some strength and other abilities that I lacked.

My gaze fell down to the Demon Ring that was still clenched in my hand.

I could use it. It'd supply me with enough speed, agility, and force to do at least _some_ kind of damage… But truth was, I had no frickin' clue how to train myself for that. I was inexperienced, an amateur, a _human,_ and if Naraku was truly raising an army in America, some other demon would probably take me down before I even got close to him.

Clearly this was going to take some planning…and research. I had the element of surprise on my side right now, which was useful. I could still play 'clueless' and nobody would suspect a thing…least of all Naraku.

He would have no idea I was plotting his death.

No hint I was tracing his whereabouts.

No clue that I was drawing closer, gathering my resources.

He wouldn't have the slightest _inkling._

Well...until I was actually _killing_ him, that is.

I wanted to see the disbelief dawn in his eyes, smell the stench of his fear when the realization of his inevitable death hit him. His life was going to be stolen and I wanted him to know it was I, Hisoka Higurashi's daughter, that was taking it.

Should I have been a worried that I was starting to think like a serial killer?

Yeah, maybe a little.

But I wasn't. I could feel with my whole being that this was something I _had_ to do.

_I _had to kill Naraku. Not Mr. Taisho. Not Sesshomaru. Not Inuyasha. Not Kikyo.

Me.

* * *

I rose out of bed the next morning and shed my crinkled dress, heading toward the bathroom to clean myself up before Mama or anyone else saw me and started asking questions. The shower handle was nearly cranked all the way to the wall, and I gasped as hot water scorched its way down my body in stinging rivulets.

My skin instantly became tender and pink, and I turned the handle more, making the water hotter. I reveled in the intense feeling; in a way it felt like I was shedding a skin, growing a new one, being reborn as a different person.

I was changing.

The truth of my father's death had awakened a secret part of me, one that had been laying dormant, waiting for something to trigger it into action. It was dark, it was different, but it wasn't scary. No, I was in full control; it was, after all, still _me._

But this was a 'me' that wasn't innocent or carefree. It was a side of me that would always expect the worst and never be willing to trust anybody. It was cold and calculating. It was—a personality that seemed eerily familiar.

_Man, if I'm not careful I'm going to turn into __**Kikyo**__… _

I scrubbed myself absently as my mind shifted gears.

Kikyo.

What exactly was her part in all of this?

Obviously she had some kind of grudge against Naraku, but she wasn't demon or youkai. She was …what did she say? A miko?

I rinsed.

_Isn't a miko, like, some sort of priestess or something?_

I began working on my hair, massaging shampoo into my scalp. Grandpa would really be the perfect person to go to about this since he was the expert on shrines and whatnot, but I didn't want him to be involved in any way, shape, or form.

If I wanted to do my research, I was going to have to go somewhere else…

Like the library.

* * *

I nodded my thanks to the redheaded librarian assistant as he pointed a lazy finger toward the rear of the building. His cerulean eyes watched me for a moment as I walked away before turning back to the book that was settled in his lap.

This was the first time I'd ever been in this section of the library. And it looked like I was the first visitor this section had seen in quite some time. I waved my hand through a beam of sunlight that was slanting through a panel of ancient stained glass and watched a swarm of dust motes dance about.

Yeah.

I was going to refer to this as the Old Section.

My index finger traced along the cracked spines of a several books as I searched for a promising title. I'd found little information on the word **miko **in the modern reference section besides the definition of the term and the fact that many didn't exist these days due to the decreasing need of their powers.

I crouched, my eyes immediately drawn to a large tome that sat heavily on the bottom shelf of a dusty bookcase.

_Holy crap. _

I tugged on it, carefully wedging it out from between its shelf-mates. The leather cover was split in places and looked as though it had seen more than its fair share of water. I prayed mold wasn't growing on the inside of the pages.

Using both hands, I lugged the book up onto the nearest table. Small clouds of dust erupted from the impact, giving me the sudden urge to sneeze. I stood for a moment with my hands braced on my hips and studied the title.

"_Lost Japan_…," I whispered. "It's worth a shot."

The binding creaked as I opened the book, and I flipped through the yellowed pages with care. The smell of mildew wafted through the air.

I slumped into a chair and turned the pages more slowly; the pictures fascinated me. Some of them took up whole pages.

I could feel my studious nature beginning to kick in and I settled myself more comfortably, knowing I could be here for a while. Once I started a book, I was pretty much dead to the outside world. Half an hour passed before I struck gold. I straightened in my chair, moving to the edge of the seat.

"_A miko_," I read excitedly, "_possesses the power to purify and protect. This can be especially dangerous for lower ranked demons, as one touch from a motivated priestess could reduce them to ash_."

I paused, thinking about how Kikyo had claimed it was her _job_ to kill demons. I creased my brow thoughtfully and continued reading.

"_One of the more prominent priestesses of history was the Lady Kikyo. Her powers as a miko were well known during the Warring States Era, as was the fact that she was the last anointed Keeper of the Jewel."_

Lady _Kikyo_…

Um, whoa…Name coincidence?

"_In order to protect the Sacred Jewel, the Shikon no Tama, Lady Kikyo devoted her life to increasing her spiritual powers." _

I paused again, thinking aloud. "Hmm… the Shikon no Tama. I think I've heard of it… from… somewhe-." A memory struck me, causing my words to falter._ Of course! The Shikon no Tama was the whole reason Naraku started that huge war back in the Feudal Era…_

An impossible thought occurred to me.

Naraku from the past = evil.

Naraku in the present = evil.

_They couldn't be the same person, could they? _I knew that a full blooded demon could live for thousands of years… so it was plausible to assume that a half-demon could survive for a mere 550 years, right?

I sat completely still as another memory dredged its way to the surface of my mind. The field trip we had taken to the museum earlier in the year. . . One caption had stated that the destruction of Naraku was still a mystery. To this day, historians could only speculate on the matter.

I raised a hand to my head in horror and braced my suddenly flushed face against it. _So…so what if he wasn't actually destroyed? Is it possible that Naraku has managed to stay hidden all these years? _I began to tremble. If Naraku had really hidden himself for the past 5 and a half centuries, then he probably had a good reason for revealing himself now.

I clenched my eyes shut and shook my head firmly, dispelling such thoughts. _No… it's just coincident. The only thing connecting the two is a __**name**__… And, of course, the tiny detail that they both were/are hanyou._

I shifted in my chair uneasily. Too many things were connecting up… My eyes darted back and forth across the page as I picked up where I'd left off. I read carefully, wanting to absorb as much information as possible.

"_In special cases, a miko can develop a partnership with a weapon, allowing her to infuse it with purifying powers and strengthen her life force. Lady Kikyo was a miko that proved to have a special affinity for the bow."_

"_While Lady Kikyo was a very powerful priestess, in the end she was unable to keep the Jewel from the clutches of evil. A half-demon, by the name of Naraku, attacked the Miko and stole the Sacred Jewel for himself. But Naraku's escape did not go as he'd planned, for Lady Kikyo was somehow able to retrieve the Jewel back from him just before her death. She ordered the Shikon no Tama to be burned along with her body, and it was. For 50 years after her ascent to the Otherworld, Japan was peaceful." _

"_This, of course, is where history becomes garbled. Legend has it that 50 years after her death, Kikyo was reincarnated, once again, as a young miko. Apparently this reincarnated form contained the Shikon no tama within her body. Whether this is true or not, the fact remains that Naraku was somehow able to relocate the Jewel and launch an all out war in an effort to reclaim it…Many demons and humans were killed, but the outcome of the war proved positive. It is not a confirmed truth that Naraku was killed, but it is apparent that he was weakened enough to want to disappear and not be found by his enemies. After the Final Battle with Naraku, the Shikon no Tama vanished and Japan began to rebuild itself. Demons and humans entered a time of peace."_

I stopped reading, deep in thought. Why hadn't historians simply interviewed a demon that had been alive back in the feudal era? Surely with enough interviews this hole in history could be stitched together…

I sighed.

_I guess older demons prefer to stay hidden…_

I stared down at the page unseeingly, my mind lost in a place of its own. It wasn't until the sunlight shifted several minutes later that I rousted myself from my daze. I shook my head and stretched.

_Gotta focus…I'm supposed to be researching miko powers, not the Shikon no tama._

I flipped the page and my vision was filled with pictures. No, _instructions. _

"_It is not uncommon for a woman to be unaware of her miko powers; many may live their whole lifetime without ever knowing they possess special abilities. There is an easy way for one to test herself and find out if she does indeed have the power of a priestess. Mediation is key. One must simply close her eyes and look inside herself. If she is blessed with purifying power then she will know it instantly. For some women, the power has always been there, they just never knew to look for it…" _

I stared at the yellowed page in wonder. A neat row of pictures depicted a woman closing her eyes, raising her hands into a praying position, and then, in the last frame, a steady glow of pink enveloping her hands.

I reread the paragraph and studied the pictures carefully.

_Hmm…_

I straightened in my chair and positioned my hands like the image instructed. I drew my breath in deeply and then allowed my eyes to slip shut.

I honestly expected nothing to happen.

And nothing did.

'_If she is blessed with purifying power then she will know it instantly…'_

I kept my eyes closed and clenched my teeth, deciding that maybe I wasn't putting in enough effort.

Still nothing.

Was I supposed to see a bloom of color behind my eyelids? Feel a coil of power in the pit of my stomach? Notice the zap of energy coursing through my veins?

How was I supposed to recognize this power if I didn't know what it was or felt like?

I pushed deeper within myself, shutting away the outside world. Perhaps I was supposed to say something? Like magic words. I whispered softly, praying.

Nothing.

I kept searching 'inside myself' for several long, silent minutes before allowing my shoulders to slump in defeat. Apparently I wasn't one of the blessed. I kept my eyes shut and hung my head, trying to force away the unexpected disappointment that was pulsing through me. I suddenly felt hollow.

"Kagome?"

My eyes snapped open and I turned in a jerky, surprised move, instinctively flinging my hands outward. A beam of energy shot from my fingertips, crackling through the air, heading straight for the person who had spoken. I stared in disbelief, my chest heaving heavily from the sudden exertion.

_Where the heck did that come from?_

I lifted my hands and stared at them in bewilderment.

_Did __**I**__ do that?_

"Jesus _Christ_, Kagome! Are you trying to kill me?"

I scrambled out of my chair and rushed to the edge of the bookcases. A flustered wolf demon was crouched on the floor, glaring up at a large scorch mark.

"Seriously… since when did you learn how to shoot beams of _death_ from your fingertips?"

I waved the offending hands in denial.

"I didn't mean to! I honestly have no idea what just happened! You scared me and then I turned around and then it just came flying out of nowhere! It didn't hit you, did it?"

Koga stood up with the graceful carelessness of a youkai and dusted himself off, shaking his head in disbelief. "I'm fine, but it was definitely a close call." He paused and reached a hand up to finger his bangs. "Can't say as much for my hair though."

I was breathing hard, a mixture of relief, excitement, and breathlessness from that ridiculously long tirade of words I'd just spewed. I stared down at my hands again, forgetting to question Koga on how he had found me in the library in the first place.

_So does this mean I have purifying powers?_ I whirled around and found the book, examining the picture of the woman with the energy encasing her hands. I needed to do it again, just to be sure.

"I want to retry…" I said aloud as I pressed my hands together.

Koga snorted and made his way over to my table. "You _do_ realize that we are in a _library _right? Not exactly the best place to try and practice blowing things up. I'm surprised nobody's getting on to you for that last attempt…"

Right at that moment the redheaded assistant strode around the corner, a dark look on his face. "Do you mind?" he said testily. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave if you don't keep it down…"

Koga reached behind me and shut the book. "That's okay," he stated. "We were just leaving, actually."

My head snapped around. "We were?"

"_Yes_…," he pressed. "We just need to check this book out and we'll be on our way."

The redhead crossed his arms and frowned. "That's a reference book. Can't check it out."

"Huh? Why not?" I said indignantly. I'd checked out plenty of reference books before.

"Because," the librarian assistant huffed, "like I said, it's a _reference_ book. The Head Librarian just made the new rule last week: No reference book checkouts."

I stared at the dusty shelves around us. "Oh come _on,_ it's not like anyone is going to miss that book anyway. It hasn't even been opened in, like, 50 years."

The man stepped forward and reached between Koga and I, grabbing the huge volume off the table and lifting it easily with one hand. "Sorry," he said without sounding sorry at all. "Rules are rules."

I was winding up for another protest when I realized there was really no point in arguing; I'd just have to come back tomorrow if I wanted to read some more. "Alright, alright." I rolled my eyes and turned back toward the table to gather my coat and scarf; I must have struggled out of them at some point when I was reading. "Let's go, Koga."

Koga was already walking down the aisle toward the exit, his hands shoved deep within his pockets.

So he obviously missed the way the librarian's head whipped around at the mention of his name. I raised an eyebrow as the redhead's sea-green eyes widened in disbelief, following Koga's movements as he disappeared down the passageway.

_Geez…what kind of reaction is that? He a fan of Koga's or something?_

I put my coat on slowly, waiting to see if there was going to be a follow-up to that reaction. But the man seemed to regain his composure and he glanced away, a look of shocked wonder on his face. I wrapped my scarf around my neck several times, still studying the redhead, and then began to walk away.

I was halfway down the aisle when the guy called after me.

"Hey!"

I turned. "Yeah?"

"What did you say your name was again?"

"Kagome," I stated in confusion, not remembering if I'd even told him my name in the _first _place. "Kagome Higurashi."

The man let out a huff of breath and then nodded, his eyes focused on the book in his hands.

"Be safe, Kagome."

My eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Yeah…I will."

Was there supposed to be a double meaning behind that statement or was he simply being polite?

I turned away slowly, not entirely comfortable with having my back toward the strange guy behind me.

_Weird…_

* * *

I wasn't able to relax until I'd made it out of the building. I couldn't put my finger on it, but something about that redheaded guy bothered the crap out of me. I stuffed my hands in my pockets and glanced around the busy street, noting with some surprise that the sun was already set. Koga was leaning against a lamppost some distance away, shoulders slumped, head bowed. His eyes were shrouded in the shadow of his bangs.

Something about his posture set me off, made me wary. I walked toward him in silence, waiting for him to notice me.

Except he didn't, which put me on guard even more. I cleared my throat.

"So, when did you get back?" I questioned. "I thought you said you'd be gone until the end of break. It's not even Christmas Eve yet…"

Koga finally raised his head and when his eyes connected with mine I couldn't help but step backward. He was looking at me, but at the same time he wasn't, like he was stuck in a memory, seeing something else.

"What?" I said uneasily. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

He smiled sadly and I was struck with how tired, how _old_, he looked.

"Did you know that you remind me of somebody?" he asked distantly.

My eyebrows drew together and I resisted the urge to grab Koga's shoulders and shake him out of this weird state of limbo he seemed to be floating in. He was starting to freak me out. "Please don't say Kikyo," I growled.

My answer seemed to confuse him, and I watched as his eyes cleared and his senses returned. "Huh? Kikyo? What about her?"

"You just asked if…," my voice trailed off as Koga fixed me with a look of puzzlement. _Does he not remember anything he just said?_ I stared at him worriedly for a moment before finding my voice again. "Nothing...it was nothing."

He arched a brow. "You sure?"

"Yeah."

Koga straightened his shoulders and heaved a heavy sigh, his breath visible in the chilly air. "Well then…Wanna go get something to eat?"

My stomach answered for me and I blushed. "Sure…I haven't eaten anything all day." I paused. "You might have to pay for me though."

Koga shrugged and grinned, for real this time. "Saw that one coming…"

We walked a short distance to a nearby ramen restaurant, and as soon as we entered my mouth began to water. I placed my order eagerly and Koga paid after placing his too. Our food arrived ten minutes later.

"You might," I said between bites, "have saved my life… Koga." I gulped down some water. "I didn't realize how hungry I was."

"Well I'd be famished too if I'd just shot beams of pure energy from my fingertips… That kind of thing can drain you, you know."

I stopped eating for a second, the memory coming back. I stared at my hand as it worked a pair of chopsticks around some noodles, remembering how exhilarating the release of that energy had felt. "Koga? Do you know anything about mikos?" My gaze shifted upward. "You know, like priestesses with purifying powers?"

He snorted. "Of course. What demon doesn't?"

That surprised me.

"But I read there weren't that many left now days."

Koga swallowed a mouthful of food before responding. "True. But there are enough of them to still be dangerous. In fact, the most dangerous of them all are the ones who aren't trained." His eyes met mine and glinted knowingly. "As you proved today. I'd probably be sporting a nice size wound if I hadn't ducked in time."

I began to get excited. "So I take it you've dealt with a miko before? Do you know how she accessed her power?"

Koga eased himself back in the booth seat, getting comfortable. "Not exactly. I do know it takes some measure of concentration though. And practice," he added. He studied me carefully before posing his next question. "Why are you suddenly so interested?"

I floundered for a second, cursing myself for getting so carried away. Koga didn't know Kikyo was a miko. He didn't know anything about Naraku either… hopefully. I searched for an excuse, and then was struck with the obvious.

"I'm interested because it's obvious that I have some kind of spiritual powers. When they first started manifesting I had no idea what was going on, so I decided to do a little research."

"When they started _manifesting_?"

"Yeah," I shrugged easily, "You know…I was letting out little spurts of energy here and there. For a while I thought I was going crazy."

Koga eyed me critically. "Your energy spurts must have started after I'd gone out of town. I'm pretty sure I would have been able to sense something if you had fountains of purifying energy leaking from you."

I leaned forward eagerly. "So you can, like, sense a miko's power?"

"Sort of," he said vaguely. "These days you generally have to know what you're looking for."

Ah. That would explain why I hadn't noticed any weird energy seeping from Kikyo the other night even though I'd been in my youkai form. "So is there a way that I can conceal my powers?"

Koga reached forward and took a sip of his drink, thinking for a moment. "I know that priestesses can perform concealing _spells_ and whatnot, but I'm not an expert on how they actually do that."

I wilted slightly. "And it's not like the library has anything helpful like Miko Spells For Dummies." I glumly chinked my straw against the ice in my cup. I doubted the great and glorious World Wide Web had much information either… at least _accurate_ information, that is.

Koga was quiet for a moment and then,"Think Inuyasha has any helpful books?"

I shrugged. "Wouldn't matter anyway. All of his books are probably boxed up by now."

Koga froze. "Huh? Why?"

I shifted uneasily. "The Taisho's are moving. Next week to be precise."

"What? Where are they going?"

I gulped. "America…." The subject was still too raw for me to talk about.

Koga slammed his cup down. "What the hell? When was this decided?"

"Who knows… All I heard was that it had something to do with Mr. Taisho's businesses."

"What the—That mutt can't just up and leave! He's lived here all his life! He's got friends, and school, and—"

"You're gonna miss him aren't you, Koga?" I interrupted.

The wolf demon sighed and looked down, his hands clenched into big fists. "Yeah, I miss him. I miss him _way _more than I should," he said quietly. Something about his words stuck a weird chord in me. The tenses were wrong.

"Uh, Koga. He hasn't moved yet. So you should say you're _going _to miss him. Not you _miss_ him. That makes it sound like he's already gone."

Koga glanced up at me. "Well it's not like he's going to go out of his way to tell me good-bye. So to me, he _is _already gone."

The thought of Inuyasha being _already gone_ scared me, and I scooted out of the booth, suddenly in a hurry to leave. "I'm ready to go home."

Koga's face darkened and he swore softly. "Damn Kagome. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you or anything."

"It's okay, Koga," I said bravely. "I've accepted it. No big deal." Inuyasha was going to America to fight Naraku, so I was sure that even if Inuyasha moved, I'd meet up with him again. Because wherever Naraku went, I was going too.

I changed the subject. "Do you think I could find a miko that would teach me how to work with my powers?"

Koga blinked. "Uhh…sure. I don't see why not. It might be kind of hard to find one though."

"So will you help me search?"

He stood up and we walked toward the doors. I shivered as we pushed into the frigid night air.

"Of course…," he smirked. "I'd hate to be the victim of another one of your 'power spurts'. You definitely could use some training."

* * *

That night I lay in my bed and closed my eyes in hope of feeling my powers again. That short instant in the library had not been enough. I wanted more.

Meditation was the key.

I tried to empty my mind, focus only on myself.

At first, it was faint, but the closer I drifted to sleep, the more aware I became of the little energy pocket settled inside my chest. It felt like the weak pulse of a baby bird's wings, fragile and delicate. Barely there.

But it was.

I would find a teacher and learn to grow stronger, build my weak flutter of power into something lethal.

I would make sure that the next time Naraku and I met, the tiny bird in my chest had matured into a fully-grown Golden Eagle.

And I would be ready to take him down with one, deadly strike.

-End-

* * *

So…

What do you think?

Leave a review and let me know!

Next update should be out within the next two weeks, if I have time to write it… soccer starts Monday so we'll see if I can muster up enough energy to type (sad isn't it?). Lol…

Thank you,

-_RedThread_


	29. Secrets

An update! Yay!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha…

* * *

Chapter 29: Secrets

-Start—

It was Christmas Eve. And I was on a mission.

I carefully steered my tiny Honda down the snow-cleared road, maneuvering it over to the side and then shifting into park. Lights were on within the house, and two cars sat in the driveway. Apparently she and her family were entertaining guests tonight.

I didn't care.

_Alright… _I breathed. _Here we go._

I straightened my hat, grabbed the small package that sat next to me in the passenger seat, and forced myself to get out of the car. There was absolutely no guarantee that this was going to go well, but it had to be done.

I determinedly picked my way up the driveway, wary of slick spots, and then climbed onto the porch, stomping my boots to rid them of the snow.

_Please don't slam the door in my face…_

My arm extended toward the doorbell and I felt the cold prick of it through my mitten as my finger connected.

_Ding, _

_Dong…_

The sound seemed to drift across the air and I stood stock still, listening intently for the thud of approaching footsteps, and wondering if it was too late to turn around.

_Tmp,_

_tmp,_

_tmp,_

_tmp_ …

I squeezed the parcel in my hand as the sound of the footsteps grew closer and then stopped all together just on the other side of the door. The lock began to turn, and a few seconds later the door swung back with a soft whoosh. I forced a tremulous smile on my face. She looked surprised. "Hey, Sango…" My voice sounded choked. "I, um… I bought you a present. I thought I'd come by and… you know, give it to you."

I held the present up as a feeble offering, hoping she would accept it. My eyes darted to the ground, her face, and then, once more, to the ground. I couldn't read her expression, which obviously wasn't a good sign. I forced my eyes to stay downcast, hoping she would break the awkward silence and say something.

Which she didn't.

_Come on, Sango…_

Seconds passed, enough to make me wonder if she was still standing there even though I hadn't heard the door shut and could still feel the wonderful waves of heat escaping the house and brushing across my face.

I finally brought my gaze up, this time slowly.

Her eyes met mine and everything seemed to drop away; for just a second time stood still. We stared at each other, our eyes mirroring the same emotions. Something unidentifiable, only recognized by the best of friends, passed between us and the next thing I knew Sango had her arms around me, hugging as hard as she could.

"Oh, Kagome," she breathed against my ear, "I'm so sorry."

I slumped against her in relief and hugged back. "Me, too," I mumbled. "You have no idea how much I've missed you."

"Probably not anywhere near as much as_ I've_ missed _you_," she laughed shakily. Sango finally pulled back and we grinned at each other. It was probably the first time I'd genuinely smiled in days. "Come on," she urged, pulling my wrist. "Get your butt in here, its freezing outside."

As much as I wanted to follow her into the warm confines of the house, I resisted. "I don't want to intrude if you've already got people over."

She waved her hand in a don't-worry-about-it kind of way and continued to pull me. "You're not intruding, Kagome. My parents aren't even home. They piled into a car with a few people from work and then took off to attend some Christmas party."

"Then whose car is that parked in the driveway?"

"Oh that's—"

There was a sudden crash from down the hallway and Sango's expression became murderous.

"_Miroku's,_" she finished through clenched teeth.

"What did you just break?" she added, yelling louder. She pulled me inside the rest of the way and then firmly shut and locked the door behind me. I followed her as she began stomping down the short hallway, taking my hat and gloves off in the process.

A dark head poked around the corner before we reached the end, and I smothered a laugh at the expression of perfect innocence on his face. "I didn't break anything, Sango. I've been sitting on the couch the whole time." He craned his neck, obviously trying to see me around the ominous loom of Sango's body.

"Yeah right, you liar. You were trying to eavesdrop weren't you?"

"_What?_" Miroku raised a hand to his chest in disbelief, his eyes darting back to her. "Why _ever _would you think that?"

Sango growled. "Because I know you too well…. unfortunately."

I couldn't help but smile at this exchange. It was all banter. The two of them obviously did this often. With Inuyasha sulking off to Kikyo and me being preoccupied with Koga, it was no wonder Sango and Miroku had started hanging out.

"Kagome?"

"Hey, Miroku."

His features dissolved into a smile. "What are you doing here?"

I snorted. "I was going to ask you the same thing."

"_Actually_, Miroku came here to tell me something," Sango intoned. "But you showed up right as he was getting to the most important part."

I laid my gloves and hat, along with my jacket, on a nearby side-table, under which Miroku had obviously shoved a busted picture frame. "Oh, really?" I said raising an eyebrow and turning back to face them. "Do I need to give you guys some privacy or something?" Miroku was probably going to ask her to be his girlfriend and I didn't want my presence to make the moment awkward.

They exchanged a look and I turned away, making a big deal out of putting my present under the Christmas tree. "Actually, I think you should hear this, Kagome."

There was a pause.

"It's about Inuyasha."

My body tensed at the mention of his name and I turned back around to face them again. "Inuyasha?"

"Yeah," Miroku said. "Sit down and I'll tell you what I know."

Sango and I promptly flopped onto the couch while Miroku took a spot in front of the fireplace. He shifted to face us so that his back was to the flames. My eyes were drawn to the flickering brightness of his earrings.

"'Kay, now spill," Sango pressed as she curled her legs beneath her. I stared at Miroku unblinkingly, my heart beginning to pound. He sucked in a breath and sent an apologetic look in my direction before speaking.

"There's really no easy way to say this, but…Inuyasha is moving," he sighed. "To America."

I could hear Sango's sudden intake of breath and feel the weight of her gaze as she turned to face me, no doubt waiting for my reaction.

My heartbeat kicked for a second, a result of my sudden relief, and then slowed back to a normal pace. _Thank goodness. _My shoulders slumped. _I thought I was about to find out that Inuyasha had yet __**another**__ secret…_

"When…," Sango asked in soft surprise. "When is he moving?"

"Day after Christmas," I answered.

"You knew?"

My head lifted, my eyes meeting Miroku's. "Found out a few days ago."

I could feel the touch of Sango's hand as she laid it on my shoulder in a gesture of comfort. "Crap, Kagome…," she whispered sympathetically. "Did he tell you why?"

Miroku and Sango stared at me patiently, waiting for my reply. I sat completely still for a moment, battling with the sudden, overwhelming urge to tell them _everything. _From start to finish.

_I have to keep them safe though… Would they be in more danger if I told them about the war or if I kept them in the dark?_

Inuyasha had chosen to keep me in the dark, and though I understood his reasoning, I resented him for that. I wanted to tell my friends. My _human_ friends. Unlike Koga, Ginta, and Hakkaku, they didn't have anything to protect them from an unexpected demon attack.

If a youkai war was brewing, I wanted Sango and Miroku to be prepared for the worst. Just in case.

I took a deep breath, my decision made. "It's a long story."

* * *

I told them everything I knew, from the death of my father, to my recognition of Naraku. I even told them about my newfound spiritual powers. By then end of my explanation Miroku had sunk down onto the hearthstones and Sango had begun pacing around the room.

"It all makes sense now," she murmured under her breath. I turned to stare at her tiredly, the telling of my story seeming to have drained me.

"What are you talking about?" I questioned.

I let her pace in silence for another minute or two before asking again. She sat back down on the couch and braced her hands on my shoulders, her expression one of seriousness.

"You want to know why I was avoiding you?"

"Uh, sure…But wasn't it because Kikyo said something?"

Sango's eyes narrowed. "Exactly. She told me that you were involved with drugs. And that if I stayed friends with you, it wouldn't be long before I was too."

My blood boiled. "What the heck, Sango! You believed her?" I exploded.

Sango shook her head, breaking eye contact, her hands sliding off my shoulders. "It made sense, Kagome. You'd just joined a band, your appetite had noticeably begun to change, and then, to top things off, you were suddenly 'sick' for a week."

Miroku shifted, settling his elbows on his thighs and clasping his hands together. "And then you freaked out… Right, Sango?" he said lowly.

"Right," she affirmed. "Just like Kikyo wanted. I panicked. You approached me at school and I didn't know what to do, so I pushed you away."

I stared at her, trying to figure out what any of this had to do with Naraku.

"I was so _stupid," _Sango hissed. "We could have avoided all this if I'd just straight up _asked _you about it."

I hung my head. Sango was one of my best friends, so it hurt to know that she had believed I was involved with drugs, but the realization that she wouldn't approach me about it hurt even worse. "I don't… understand, Sango," I finally murmured. "What does this have to do with the Youkai War?"

She straightened at the sound of my voice. "See," she said, "that's just the thing, Kagome. This War is being stirred up by some guy named Naraku, right? The same one who murdered your father and also happens to be your band manager."

I nodded, still unsure about the direction this was headed.

I could see Miroku's body stiffen from my peripheral vision, and when he spoke his voice was laced with disbelief. "You think Kikyo was trying to protect you, Sango?"

Her head snapped in his direction. "Think about it." Her eyes found mine again. "Kikyo is doing the exact same thing to me that Inuyasha is doing to you, Kagome. She's trying to keep me safe. It doesn't matter how Inuyasha tries to protect you, Kagome, you're already a part of everything, and Kikyo knows that. So she began to isolate you, so that nobody else would be drawn into it as well."

"But Kikyo doesn't know that Naraku is my band manager…How would she know I'm involved with him?" I argued.

"She must've known about the murder of your dad," Miroku supplied. "If your father was involved with Naraku, then that bastard most likely has information on your whole family. What if he decided that your father's murder wasn't enough to satisfy him? Wouldn't it be easy to kidnap you and then, as an added bonus, a few of your closest friends and relatives?"

It made sense. And it scared the hell out of me. What about Mama, Souta, and Grandpa? What if Naraku chose to target one of them? But Naraku hadn't shown any ill intentions toward _any_ of us yet, so what did that mean?

_God, this is all so confusing!_

We sat in silence, listening to the soft popping sounds of the fire, each of us lost in thought. The happy crackling of the flames soothed me.

After a while, Sango stood up and stretched. "Anyone want something to drink? All this thinking is making me thirsty."

"I wish that made sense," Miroku complained.

"Look," she snapped. "You want a drink or not?"

Miroku and I both nodded and she padded out of the room toward the kitchen, leaving us alone.

"Kagome."

I broke out of my thoughts and glanced over. "Yeah?"

"I still have one question…"

"Yeah, well, I have about a thousand," I joked. But my sorry stab at humor did nothing to change Miroku's expression, and I felt my stomach clench with anxiety. "Okay," I sighed. "What is it?"

"I want to know," he said, "where Koga fits into all this."

I froze. _Koga?_

"I'm just trying to cover all angles here…," he continued. "I mean, Kikyo pushed Sango away from you, but did nothing about Koga. Isn't that kind of weird?"

I shrugged. The thought had crossed my mind, but I could only come up with one explanation. "I'm sure Kikyo figured Koga could take care of himself. He is youkai after all."

Miroku frowned. "Have you told him anything?"

I shook my head. "You and Sango are the only ones. I didn't want the two of you to be in the dark." I crossed my arms. "And besides, I'm sick of lying and dodging around people all the time. You have _no idea_ how relieving this session has been for me. I feel like I've been holding my breath for days and I've finally been allowed to release it." I exhaled on the last word, loving how it felt not to have secrets weighing on my chest.

Sango's voice floated in from the kitchen. "Can you show us your spiritual powers, Kagome?" I jumped up from my seat and ran to help her as she walked into the living room. She had two glasses, one in each hand, along with a third wedged between her forearm and stomach.

"I could try," I said easing a cup from her hand. "But I'd rather do it outside."

Sango shot a dirty look in Miroku's direction. "Yeah, wouldn't want anything _else_ to get broken."

Miroku rubbed the back of his head in a nervous gesture and quickly led us outside. It wasn't until he confessed that he'd broken a picture frame and then revealed where he'd hidden it that Sango allowed him to have his drink.

* * *

That night I went home, and for the first time in a while, I actually felt calm. Sango was back on my side, and Miroku was an added bonus. Things were starting to be put into motion. Koga had promised to find me a teacher and Sango and Miroku had also promised to help me in any way they could.

That left me with one last thing to do tonight.

Every year Mama cooked a Christmas Eve Dinner and it was tradition that the whole family (all four of us) gathered around the table to eat together. We were all nearly finished with our meal when I finally decided to broach the subject that I'd been aiming toward all night.

"Mama…,"

"Yes, sweetie…"

"I have an announcement to make."

Everyone at the table stilled, waiting, their eyes staring at me expectantly.

"You know how I've been hanging out with Koga lately?" I asked tentatively.

"Yes," Mama said slowly. "What abou-…" She suddenly paused, her eyes narrowing. "You're not pregnant are you?"

"Wha_—What?_" I sputtered. "No!" I could feel my face turning red and I waved my hands frantically, my eyes darting over to Souta and Grandpa and then back to Mama again. "No, I'm not—Geez, I'm not _pregnant_ alright?"

My mother took a sip from her hot tea and stared at me over the brim of her cup. "Alright. Then what about it?" she asked again, referring to my earlier question.

I forced my breathing to slow and took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. "Well," I started, "the reason Koga and I have been hanging out so much is because…because I'm actually in his band. I'm the singer."

It was silent for a few moments and then Grandpa snorted and Souta laughed. "_You_?" Souta giggled helplessly, clutching his stomach. "You _sing,_ Kagome? Man, they must have been desperate!"

"Shut up Souta!"

Mama began to smile and I cocked my head suspiciously. "What? Why are you smiling like that?"

Mama stood up, mug still in her hand. "Hold on, I'll be right back." She disappeared through the doorway and into the living room for a second, and I swatted at Souta as soon as she was out of sight. Seconds later she shuffled back into the room and set something down on the table in front of me.

My mouth dropped open.

"What is it?" Souta craned his neck, trying to see from his hiding spot which was behind Grandpa.

It was a picture. Koga, Ginta, Hakkaku, and I stared at the camera in surprise. Mama had had it framed. "How long have you known?" I asked quietly. Mama sat back down and stared at me with knowing eyes.

"Since that picture came out in that magazine."

I lowered my head in embarrassment. She must've read the article too.

"I wanted to see how long it would take you to tell me the truth," she said softly.

The whole table was silent for a moment. And then Grandpa spoke. "You know…," he said gruffly, "you really remind me of my sister. Always full of secrets and running around with demons."

We all stared at him. It wasn't often that Grandpa Souta talked about Great Aunt Kagome.

Great Aunt Kagome, Grandpa's elder sibling, died the day before I was born. She was my namesake and many claimed I was the spitting image of her. "Grandpa," I stated dubiously, "how could Great Aunt Kagome have run around with demons if their existence wasn't even known to the public until 2 years _after_ her _death?_"

He creased his brow, trying to remember something. Grandpa Souta often had memory slips; in fact he was probably mixing the times up and thinking that _I_ was his sister. The old man scratched the back of his head and looked away.

"It's past my bedtime," he grumbled. "I'm going to head upstairs and go to sleep."

"It's past _everybody's _bedtime," my mother said sternly. "If you two don't get to bed, Santa won't come."

I rolled my eyes but stood up anyway. "So…you aren't going to ground me for lying to you and singing in an underground bar?"

My mother pushed me toward the staircase. "I was young too, once," she whispered conspiratorially. "We all do crazy things at some point, but as long as you're safe and out of trouble, I'll turn my eyes the other way."

I grinned. Who knew my mom could be so cool? I skirted around the table and stole a quick hug from her before stumbling up the stairs and then into bed.

Today had been good. I'd made up with Sango and I'd been able to keep my emotions in check around my family. Let's hope I could say the same about tomorrow.

Because tomorrow was Christmas Day… and also the day Inuyasha was supposed to bring me a present.

* * *

I'd just finished brushing on some mascara the next morning when Mama's voice floated up the stairs.

"Kagome!"

I ran a trembling hand over my hair, flattening a few strays.

"Someone is here to see you!"

I stood up. "Coming!"

He was waiting at the bottom of the staircase, along with his mother and father. His parents smiled up at me as I descended.

"We just wanted to come and say good-bye," said Izayoi, "before we leave tomorrow."

I forced a smile on my face, ignoring Inuyasha's presence for few seconds as I enveloped his mother into a hug.

"I'm going to miss you so much," I breathed. "You're like my second mom."

She patted my back, a gentle touch that I could barely feel. "And you're the daughter I never had," she whispered softly. Izayoi pulled away, placing both of her hands on my hot cheeks and forcing me to look her in the eyes. "Don't fret," she whispered. "We'll meet again."

I nodded dumbly, believing her with all my heart. "Of course we will."

She smiled gently and then turned to her husband who was staring down at me with stern golden eyes. I remembered the fierce light that had been burning in them just a few nights before as he'd rallied his allies.

"Kagome," he said gruffly. "You're a good girl. Stay out of trouble."

I nodded, trying to keep my expression neutral. "Yes, sir."

He lowered his head in a nod of acceptance, not breaking eye contact, and then allowed his wife to pull him into the living room where the rest of my family had assembled. An irritated snort from behind reminded me of Inuyasha, and I turned to face him, crossing my arms at the same time.

"Do you have my present?" I asked.

He tilted his head and scoffed. "Course I do. I made a promise, didn't I?"

"Alright then, follow me."

"What? Why?"

I started back up the staircase. "Just come on, Inuyasha."

He grumbled a bit more but still followed me nonetheless.

I waited for him at the top of the stairs and then yanked him into my room, shutting and locking the door behind us before he could even protest.

"Now," I started, "let's talk. Cause you have a lot of explaining to do."

"I knew you'd pull something like this."

"Like what?"

"_This…_" he said, gesturing around the room. "I had a feeling you'd corner me somehow."

I sat down on my bed and crossed my arms with a huff. "Yeah, well, it's nice to see that you still know me at least a little bit."

But he didn't. I wasn't the same girl that I had been at the beginning of the school year…or even the beginning of the week. He didn't know me at all.

"So why are you _really_ moving to America?" I asked bluntly. It was a test, to see if he would finally break down and tell me the truth.

"It's complicated."

This wasn't going to be easy. But when was anything ever easy with Inuyasha?

"Complicated how?"

"It's none of your business."

"Why not?" I persisted.

"Because…"

"Because why?"

"Dammit Kagome, can you please stop making this harder than it already is?"

I stood up and took a step toward him. "Well maybe if you told me what was going on, it wouldn't have to be so hard!"

"I can't!"

"Why not?"

"I told you, it's complicated!"

We stared at each other in a showdown, both of us refusing to look away first. By now I had practically backed him against the door. Yet as our eyes continued to clash in a silent battle, I realized I wasn't gaining any sort of advantage. So I switched tactics. My shoulders slumped and I dropped my gaze.

"Are you doing this because you hate me?"

_That _triggered him. For a moment he was silent, his body tense, as though he couldn't decide what to do. And then he growled and lunged at me, grabbing my shoulders and spinning us around so that our positions were suddenly switched.

"Because I _hate_ you?" he repeated incredulously. His hands slid down my arms until they rested on my wrists. I sucked in a breath as his face suddenly drew near and then dropped into the crook of my neck.

"Kagome," he murmured. "I could never _hate_ you…"

I let out a shuddering breath, his ears twitching. "Then why," I swallowed, (his reaction was not what I expected and his breath was hot on my neck), "why won't you let me help you? Just tell me what's going on, Inuyasha."

_Trust in me…please._

He inhaled deeply, seeming to breathe my scent, and then lifted his head to meet my eyes. "Just know," he said in all seriousness, "that everything I've done up 'til now has been to keep you safe. I can't tell you anything more or it will put you in even greater danger."

I arched an eyebrow. "So let me get this straight. You're moving to America, which is all the way across an ocean…to _protect_ me, Kagome Higurashi, who lives all the way in _Japan_." I shook my head. "Somehow that doesn't make sense to me…"

"Of course it doesn't…you don't know any of the details." He pulled away from me and crossed his arms, his eyes fierce. "The only reason I'm telling you any of this is so that you won't inadvertently put yourself back into danger after I'm gone."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that if anyone comes asking after the Taisho family, act like you have no idea who their talking about. Make it clear that you and your family have no affiliations with us at all."

"What about the rest of my family? Am I supposed to tell them about this?"

He reached in his pocket and drew out a small, brightly wrapped present. "My parents are taking care of them right now…," he said distractedly. "They'll know what to do." Inuyasha took a step back and stared down at the tiny box in his hand before holding out to me. "Here," he growled.

I reached out and tentatively lifted the box from his hand. "Do you want me to open it now?"

He shrugged and glanced away, clearly uncomfortable.

I couldn't help but smile at his awkwardness and I slipped my finger under a tab of tape, ripping the paper off. The box lid slid sideways and I gasped at the object within.

It was a necklace.

I reached in and drew it out, the chain glinting brightly. "Wow…," I breathed. "It's so cute!" I fingered the tiny lock that dangled at the end of the chain, the only charm on the necklace. My eyes found Inuyasha's and I blushed because he was blushing. "Could you help me put it on?"

"No…," he held his claws up.

"Oh, yeah… Sorry. I forgot." I reached behind, swinging my hair to the side, and worked the clasp with deft hands. "Thank you, Inuyasha. It's lovely."

"Lovely?" he scoffed.

"What? Does that word embarrass you or something?"

"Keh…"

I played with the necklace, feeling the outline of the keyhole, something I knew was going to become a habit. "So what time are you leaving tomorrow?"

He sat down on the bed and sighed. "Our plane leaves at 3 P.M…"

I nodded and plopped down next to him. "Are you ever... coming back?" I asked quietly.

He turned his head and stared at me, the movement causing his silver hair to fall over his shoulder. "I don't know."

I accepted his answer in silence, knowing that it didn't really matter. Of course he'd be back. I'd make sure of it.

"Hey, Kagome."

"Yeah?"

"Can you come tomorrow?"

I glanced at him in surprise. "To the airport? You _want_ me to come?"

Inuyasha nodded. "I want to see you one more time before I leave." His eyes darted to the window. "Because it might be the last."

I had to hide my smirk.

_It won't be… believe me._

"Then I'll be there by 2:30."

Inuyasha suddenly stood and walked toward the door, leaving me behind.

"Good," he said. "I'll be waiting."

The door slid shut and I breathed out a sigh, sitting in silence.

I waited until I heard Inuyasha's footsteps reach the bottom of the stairs and then I unclasped my necklace and stretched it out across my bedcover. I scrutinized it carefully, looking for any writing or markings on the lock or chain.

Because as soon as I'd touched it, I'd felt a wave of power pulse through me.

There was a spell on this necklace.

What kind? I had no clue.

But I was willing to bet anything that a miko had put it there.

-End-

* * *

Whew…Long chapter… 4,740 words.

Review please! :)

Thanks!

-_RedThread_


	30. Remember Me

Can't believe I've reached Chapter 30… Makes me wonder how thick this story would be if it were a printed book… heh. :)

Don't forget to leave a review!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha**

* * *

Chapter 30: Remember Me

-Start—

"_Hey…I've found her."_

I shifted the phone in my hand, cradling it between my shoulder and cheek. "Found who?"

Koga sighed on the other end. "_Your __**teacher**__. And believe me, you'll never guess who it is…Meet me at the nearest WacDonald's in five minutes."_

I was already walking out the door. "I'll be there in three."

* * *

I dipped my hand into my pocket and sought the already familiar outline of the lock necklace. Every time I touched it, a zap of power shot through my fingertips. I was a little worried by how addicting I found it. The chain slid out into the palm of my hand and I focused my attention on it, leaning against the wall impatiently, still waiting for Koga to show.

I'd brought my necklace along in hopes that my new teacher (whoever she was) would be able to identify and tell me what sort of spell had been placed on it. It'd be even greater if she could tell me _who _had put the spell on it.

But I already had my suspicions as to who _that_ certain individual was…

"Ready?"

My head jerked up and I fumbled the necklace into my pocket, trying at the same time to slow my heartbeat. "Of course," I answered breathlessly; Koga's sudden appearance had startled me. "Took your sweet time getting here, didn't you?"

"Yeah, yeah…"

I pushed off the wall, ready to start walking, but the wolf demon held out his hand and blocked me, tapping his index finger instead. "Got your Demon Ring?"

"Uh huh." I may hate the man who gave it to me, but that wasn't going to stop me from using the thing. "Why?"

"Might want to put it on." Koga turned and faced the roiling crowds that dominated the streets. "We've got a ways to go."

* * *

When we finally reached our destination I couldn't help but plant my hands on my hips and stare across the street with a sour expression. "Seriously, Koga?"

He smirked and then jumped off the edge of the building we were currently standing on. "Hurry up!" he called from below. I sighed and rolled my eyes, wishing I could let him know just how much this displeased me, before leaping to the ground and following him.

We'd arrived at Kikyo's apartment complex. _Kikyo's!_ Did Koga not know that Kikyo was leaving for America _today_? How could _she_ possibly be my teacher?

I voiced my last question aloud, inserting Kikyo's name for _she_, and waited for Koga's response. He jogged up the stairs that led into the crumbling building and turned to face me. "Kikyo's not your teacher," he replied with a confused quirk of his eyebrow. My eyes widened as I realized what I'd just revealed, that Kikyo was a miko, but my panic shifted with Koga's smirk. He pushed open the door.

"_She's _your teacher."

I fixed my confused gaze on the dim entryway, trying to see who was within. There was only one other person I knew that lived here...

"Hello, Kagome."

My eyebrows rose in surprise and my mouth gaped open.

"_Rea_?"

The old landlady stepped through the doorway and stood on the threshold of the apartment complex, beaming at me toothlessly. "I see you've finally become aware of your powers…" Her smile became sly. "I knew it wouldn't be long before you returned."

I continued to stare at her dumbly. "What happened to your accent?"

She waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. "Just a cover. You can never be too careful these days." She glanced around and gestured for us to come inside. "Let's go to my apartment before we discuss anything further." She began to walk away, but stopped and turned to face me again. "And take that ring off," she added. "I'd like to see your _human_ side."

* * *

"So you knew I was a miko from the very beginning?"

Koga and I were seated on the tiny sofa again, and this time I was scooted to the edge, not in uneasiness, but excitement. Koga was sprawled backwards, his arms splayed widely across the back of the couch.

"Of course," Rea replied. "But the fact that you were here with a demon, and appeared to be ademon yourself, put me on guard."

She stopped talking to fiddle with a burner and then turned to face us. "I didn't know what the two of you were after, but it didn't take me long to realize you were both harmless." She arched an eyebrow at the wolf demon lounging on her couch. "He knew I was a miko from the beginning too. Didn't you?"

I could feel the couch move as Koga shrugged indifferently. "Yeah, pretty much."

"I suspected as much." Rea pulled out a chair and sat down. "Now," she said, her voice growing serious, "about this teacher business that Koga's mentioned… What is it that you want to learn exactly?"

I couldn't very well blurt out '_How to kill a demon'_ so I went with the next best option. "Everything."

She stared at me levelly, her eyes large behind the thick magnification of her glasses. A hint of a smile curled her lip. "Very well. You can come after school and on the weekends," she said tersely. "You might want to bring a notebook…We've got a lot to cover."

I nodded eagerly, my eyes bright with anticipation.

I was just about to launch into a thousand questions when Koga stood, causing the sofa to rock. He navigated his way across the room toward the door. "While you two bond, I'm gonna go grab something to eat." He glanced in my direction. "I'll be back in a little while to walk you home, 'kay?" I shooed him with a distracted wave of my hand, eager to continue my conversation with Rea. Koga rolled his eyes and opened the door. "Great. I'll see you later _too_, Kagome."

The door shut behind him and Rea arched an eyebrow as Koga's footsteps faded down the hallway. "All but shoved him out the doorway, didn't you? Eager for him to leave?"

My expression grew serious, my excitement from just a few minutes earlier dimming slightly. "Actually….yes. I wanted to discuss a few things with you…" Rea continued to stare at me with a questioning look. "In private," I added as I drew my lock necklace from my pocket. "It's about this."

Rea adjusted her glasses and held out a hand, her eyes fixed on shiny lock dangling from my fist. "Interesting," she mused. "Let me see."

The chain coiled neatly into her palm as I passed it over, and while she continued her inspection of the lock, I stood up to turn the burner off; the kettle was beginning to wail annoyingly. "Do you think you can you tell me what sort of spell or charm or _whatever_ has been cast on it?"

Rea made a preoccupied sound in her throat and lolled her head back and forth in a nod. "I know exactly what's been placed on this."

I turned to face her and she lifted her eyes.

"It's a concealment spell."

"And what does that mean?"

Rea placed the charm necklace on the table and stood up. "It means," she said as she pulled out a couple of mugs, "that whoever wears that necklace will be wiped off the 'magic radar', so to speak. Neither demons nor priestesses would be able to sense his or her powers. That person would be virtually invisible, just another ordinary human being."

I furrowed my brows. _A concealment spell…_ Inuyasha must have had Kikyo create it on purpose. But did that mean he knew about my priestess powers? The only other option I could come up with was that Kikyo put the spell on the necklace without Inuyasha knowing. _But would she do that to protect me?_

"So…," I asked tentatively, "it's not a spell that would harm me or anything, right?"

"Correct," Rea answered. "It will only serve to hide your powers. Concealment spells are usually handy when one is trying to avoid being traced."

_Just as I thought_. Kikyo was trying to hide me from Naraku and whoever else might be targeting me. She'd probably sensed my dormant powers from the very beginning. And now she was trying to keep others from sensing the same thing. "Alright…but will I still be able to use my powers if I'm wearing the necklace? It doesn't act like a seal does it?"

Rea handed me a mug and we both made our way back into the tiny living room. "You should be fine. But the moment you use your powers while wearing that necklace that spell will become null. It only shields your energy as long as you don't tap into it."

_Hmmm… _

Rea blew on her drink softly and then tilted her head. "Who gave you such an unusual gift anyways?"

"Just a friend. I'm pretty sure he didn't realize somebody had tampered with it." I paused and stirred my tea. "But the moment I touched the necklace I could feel the energy. I was a little worried it might be something that could harm me, so I didn't wear it for very long."

"Wise decision," she said darkly. "Contact with a cursed object could prove to be fatal if you don't know what you're doing."

"A cursed object?"

"Curses are pesky little things. Hard to get rid of once they've been activated. Some last a lifetime…Others, mere seconds, just long enough to destroy a person."

My eyes grew wide. "How do you get rid of them?"

"You learn to recognize them before you trigger them. But that's a lesson for another day. For now, let's just go over the basics…."

Rea told me about how she'd first discovered her powers and what she'd done to learn to control them. Without anyone to teach her she'd had to come up with her own theories. It hadn't taken her long to discover that one effective way to practice was to hold an object and focus upon it, so that her miko energy would pour into it. Rea held a hand up and it was immediately surrounded by a globe of soft pink light.

"It took me months to gain enough control to do this…"

I sat my empty tea cup down with a clatter. "Months!"

"Months…," she affirmed quietly. The light faded from her hand, taking my enthusiasm with it. I leaned forward, bracing my elbows on my knees and lowering my forehead into my hands.

"Rea," I said lowly. "I don't _have_ months."

"I know."

My head snapped up. "What?"

"I said I _know._"

"You know about the wa—"

"Yes," she interrupted. I cocked my head questioningly. "Who doesn't?" she said wearily.

_Um…I can think of plenty of people._

"You wish to learn how to purify youkai in hopes to save your friends…Right?" Rea continued.

I nodded. _Er…partly. I really just want to obliterate Naraku. _"Yeah…," I answered aloud.

Rea closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair. "You will have to study for at least a year before you can do that. Right now your powers are strong, but that won't help you much if you don't know how to use them." Her eyes opened fractionally and she peered across at me through narrow slits. "I suggest you finish out high school and train with me before you attempt to take off to America and join a battle that you know nothing about."

_How does she know so much about the War? _I pushed the thought away and did some quick calculations in my head. The conclusion I was coming to was making my temper flare. "But…," I said slowly, my voice beginning to rise, "if I stay here to train for more than a _year_ the war could be over by the time I even _get_ to America!"

Rea shook her head. "Building an army takes time," she said calmly. "Neither side is ready to commence in battle yet. You will likely be finished training before the first shots are even called, Kagome."

I shifted in agitation and flung my hands out in a wild and desperate gesture. "What if you're wrong? What then? What if I'm sitting over here taking my sweet time learning _spells_, while my friends are being _slaughtered_ in America?"

Rea's spine straitened and her eyes grew sharp. "Kagome, listen to me! If you go over there before you are ready You. Will. Die," she enunciated.

I clenched my teeth stubbornly. "What if I study for the remainder of _this_ year?" I bartered. "Every day after school and through the summer all the way to Christmas? Isn't that plenty of time?"

"No. We will do this on my terms or not at all."

I stood and began to pace, my hands balled into fists. _Dangit! I can't afford to wait for almost a year and a half!_

"Don't rush into this blindly, Kagome. That sort of approach will get you nowhere," Rea informed me in a frustratingly wise voice.

I paced around for a few minutes more, ignoring Rea's presence, trying to think of a way around this.

But I couldn't. Rea was right and I was wrong. I'd be completely useless if I took off to America without fully learning how to use my powers…And taking out Naraku would ultimately be impossible. I ran my fingers through my hair and eventually slumped back onto the couch. "Fine…," I mumbled. "We'll do this your way. But if I'm ready to go before I finish high school, then I'm going."

Rea just shook her head tiredly. "You won't be."

We sat in silence, the only disturbance being the ticking of a clock. I glanced up at it, wondering where Koga had been for so long. And then I realized something.

"Shit! Oh shit!" I stood up frantically, searching for my Demon Ring.

It was 2:18 p.m.

Inuyasha would be leaving for America in less than 45 minutes.

"I've got to go Rea!" I shouted. "I'll be back next Monday after school, okay!" I was already out the door and down the dusty stairwell so I didn't hear her response. In seconds I was darting down the street, going faster than humanly possible. Seemingly from out of nowhere, Koga fell into step beside me.

"You wouldn't happen to be in a hurry, would you?"

I paused, dancing back and forth on my feet impatiently. "Koga! What's the quickest way to the airport?"

He frowned, and I saw his eyes darken in understanding. "How much time do we have?"

I checked my phone. "It's 2:24. His plane leaves at 3."

Koga nodded, muscles tensing. "Alright. Follow me."

We took off - across buildings, through alleyways, over a bridge, and between traffic - and we finally made it to the airport. I barreled through the turning doors and stood for a moment in the huge entry hall, gasping with anxiety. I had no idea which way to go.

Koga pulled up beside me and scanned the signs posted above us while I surveyed the crowd. "It's that way," he said. "Come on." I allowed Koga to take the lead again, trusting him to get us where we needed to go. He and I zipped through people, avoiding luggage and small children who were tugged along behind their parents _like_ luggage. We leapt over a row of seats and skirted around more than one line of bystanders waiting to have their bags checked.

My eyes darted upwards as we entered another cavernous room full of crowds, and landed on a giant digital clock. 2:47 p.m. We weren't going to make it at this rate.

"Koga! How much further?"

"We're close…"

We fought our way through the food court (were these people _trying_ to slow me down?) and then turned onto a smaller corridor. I could practically feel the seconds slipping by as we sprinted down the long hallway toward our destination. _God, this is like a stupid movie… _

"Koga! Wait a second!" I spun on my heel and took a detour through a bathroom. When I emerged from the other side, I was human. I ran up to the edgy wolf demon and leapt on his back. "Okay! Go, Go, Go, _Go!"_

Another clock caught my eye as we raced through the thinning droves of people. 2:53 p.m.

My heart leapt as we turned onto a final hallway labeled _America, Flight 7. _

_This is it. We're so close…_

And then we ran into the security check. I slid off of Koga's back.

"Ma'am, we're going to need you to place your shoes and jewelry into this bin and then step through here."

_You've got to be __**kidding**_ _me! _"I can't," I said hurriedly as I tried to see around the gated metal detector. "I mean, I'm not getting on a flight… I'm just here to see some people off. I really need to—"

"Ma'am. You need to remove-"

"Please," I said frantically. "Just let me _through_."

"Remove your shoes and—"

"Just do it, Kagome! You're wasting time!" Koga growled fiercely.

I rolled my eyes and yanked my shoes off before racing through the body scanner.

"_All passengers for __America, Flight 7__ please began boarding the plane at this time. All passengers for __America, Flight 7__ …_"

Dread seeped into my limbs, making them heavy. This couldn't be happening. How could I have lost track of time like this? I took off running, my bare feet slapping against the cold tiled floor. My hair streamed behind me as I made a beeline for the end of the hallway, counting the numbers until I found Gate 7.

_Please still be here…._I prayed.

I stood still, gasping for breath, my eyes running over the people standing in line to board the plane. _Where are you? Where are you? _

I couldn't find him. He wasn't there…

And then, toward the front of the line, I saw a flash of silver. His hair.

"Inuyasha!" I panted, and then louder, "Inuyasha!"

He turned, his golden eyes searching the crowd for whoever had called his name. "Here!" I cried, waving a hand. "I'm right here!" I nearly collapsed to the ground when his eyes finally lit upon me. My body drifted sideways, my hip coming in contact with the back of a chair which supported my suddenly unsteady legs.

I'd made it. Relief coursed through me like a drug.

"Kagome?" he questioned.

I nodded, pushing my hair back. "I'm here…," I gasped.

He was wearing a pair of dark sweats with a red T-shirt that stretched comfortably across his shoulders; an old ball-cap was situated on his head, covering his ears and shading his eyes. Despite it nearly being his turn to board the plane, he slipped out of line and made his way toward me.

"Cutting it kinda close, aren't ya? Had me nearly convinced you weren't gonna come..."

His voice was light, but his eyes betrayed the fear at such a thought. I shuddered in shame. _He thought I was going to ditch him._ I stood in silence, searching his gaze and trying to collect myself; I was here… but I had no idea what to say or where to begin. He was about to leave for _America!_

Inuyasha cocked a brow. "Are you about to _cry_?"

I wiped a shaky hand across my suddenly wet eyes. "Yeah…," I said numbly. "I think I am."

Inuyasha gripped the strap of his carry-on bag, his eyes darting to the ground. "Don't do that, Kagome," he mumbled. "You know I can't stand it when you cry."

I nodded my head, my hair slipping forward to cover my cheek.

"_Final call for __America, Flight 7__… Please make your way to Gate 7 if you have not already done so. The gate will be closed in 5 minutes."_

Inuyasha glanced over his shoulder, watching as the last person in line disappeared through the tunnel leading to the plane. "Well," he sighed. "I guess I gotta go."

We stared at each other; our final moments together. He was really about to leave me.

I wanted to say something, anything… but my mouth wouldn't move. This whole situation seemed too unreal. I wasn't strong enough to handle it.

I finally forced my mouth to open, prepared to say something, but my voice died in my throat as Inuyasha reached out and cupped my cheek. His fingers moved to carefully brush a loose strand of hair behind my ear. I closed my eyes and leaned into his touch, trying to express the tumult of emotions that seemed clogged within me. A claw-tip traced a light path down the length of my jaw and I raised my gaze to meet his once more.

"Stay safe, Kagome," he whispered. "Remember what I told you, okay?"

At that moment his eyes lifted from mine and stared into the crowd behind me, almost as though he sensed something. Inuyasha was close enough that I could feel the sudden tension lining his body. I grew worried at the sudden torrent of disbelief that flitted through his eyes. He stepped away from me, his stare returning to my face, his eyes icy chips of amber. "Bye."

I watched as he walked away from me, confused by the sudden turn of events. _What just happened?_

He was nearly to the gate when my body snapped into motion. I lunged forward, sprinting after him. "_Wait! _Wait, Inuyasha!"

He didn't stop walking.

I pushed myself to go faster. When I reached him, I barreled into his back, locking my arms around his waist from behind. He tensed, but stopped moving. I knew what I wanted to say.

"Don't…Don't forget me, okay Inuyasha?"

He stood there for a moment, head bowed, eyes shrouded in the shadows of his hat. I squeezed him tighter, hoping I could somehow help force a promise out of him.

"Why not?" he said finally, his voice harsh and forced sounding. Inuyasha turned his head to the side. "You nearly forgot all about _me…_"

"What?"

I followed his gaze, trying to figure out what he was so fixed upon, and found-

_Koga…_

Realization dawned on me.

_He thinks I almost forgot to come because I was with Koga._

Inuyasha slid out of my arms and continued to walk toward the gate without bothering to glance behind at me. I stared numbly as he handed his ticket over to the airline lady.

_What are you doing? _My mind screamed. _Go after him! _

But I was out of time. Even as I stood there and watched, the lady followed Inuyasha to the door and prepared to close it as he passed through.

_Don't let him leave…not with this huge misunderstanding between you two!_

But he was already gone.

My last vision of Inuyasha was of his back. I watched until his silver hair disappeared from view and then I stumbled to a nearby chair and sat down. A tear silently slipped down my cheek as I watched his plane prepare to take off.

_This is all my fault…I shouldn't have been late._

Another tear streaked down my face as I watched his plane speed down the runway and begin to lift-off. A piece of my heart was on that plane, and I knew I'd never get it back.

I drew my legs to my chest and rested my chin on top of my knees, watching as the plane became smaller and smaller, flying further and further away from me.

It would be a year and a half before I saw Inuyasha again.

And that was a long time.

Long enough for him to forget all about me.

-End—

* * *

Quick update, huh? Seems like my writer block decided to give me a break for once. Lol.

Leave a review please! I really enjoy reading them all. :)

Thanks!

-_RedThread_


	31. The Passage of Time

Don't faint! I mean, it's just an update.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha…**

Chapter 31: The Passage of Time

* * *

-Start—

**January**

"Again."

"_Huh?_"

"Again."

"Why? What did I do wrong this time?"

"Did you see that bright pink light you just made?"

"No…I didn't _make_ a bright pink light…"

"Exactly. Now try again."

I blew out an exasperated breath. Training with Rea could prove to be hard sometimes. I'd been doing this for a whole month, and the old lady _still_ managed to get under my skin. I rolled my eyes and then shut them, forcing myself to concentrate on my spiritual powers, trying to draw them to the surface of my consciousness.

I gripped the object in my hand tighter.

It was a wooden drumstick I'd stolen from Koga's garage. Probably Hakkaku's.

"Focus, Kagome."

"I am," I said through clenched teeth.

Rea snorted. "No you're not."

My eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

I could feel my powers stirring, responding to my call. They trickled from my core to my fingertips, following the intricate pathways of my veins and spreading throughout my system. In my mind's-eye I imagined that each vein was lit like a glow stick, creating lacy patterns across my figure.

My senses pulsed as my powers built against the edge of my fingertips, like water against a dam.

Now I just needed to figure out how to release them into the drumstick.

_Maybe if I just followed my instincts…_

I pushed, urging my spiritual powers to flow from my fingertips into the object, like water into a cup. The power moved… but it didn't discharge. I could feel the heaviness of it still within me. I frowned and tried again.

And again.

And again….

Several minutes later, I opened my eyes to see that my hands were indeed surrounded by pink light, but the drumstick was not. I huffed, my shoulders slumping under the weight of my failure.

"Why can't I do it?"

Rea moved and I glanced up. She'd been unusually quiet for a long amount of time, and to be honest, it scared me a little. It meant she was about to get serious. She shuffled over and sat down next to me on the couch. We were training in her apartment, like always.

"Kagome," she said, grabbing my hands, "I've told you this before, but I feel as though something is blocking you from fully activating your powers." Rea removed the drumstick that was still tightly gripped in my hand and eased my fingers open; she traced the lines on my palms, staring at them intensely. "I can sense your powers surge when you tap into them, but they fade quickly after that. It's like they're there, but only just." She lifted her eyes and we stared at each other in silence.

I let out a grudging sigh.

Rea was right. My head dropped to my chest in defeat. The first few times I had used my powers, on accident, they'd been hot, exhilarating, flowing through my body in a rush of heady excitement, never ending. But now they'd seemed to reduce to nothing more than a small dribble, seeping from behind some sort of barrier within me.

What'd happened?

"It's him."

My head snapped up. "Excuse me?"

Rea stared at me with solemn eyes. "Inuyasha. You need to let him go, or you won't be able to get anywhere with this. You're not doing him, or yourself, any favors by moping around."

My eyes widened. "Wh-What makes you think I'm _moping_ over Inuyasha?" I sputtered.

"Oh please," Rea snorted, "it's not hard to figure out that something was going on between you two before he left. Koga told me what happened at the airport."

My jaw clenched and I swallowed hard. "Inuyasha has nothing to do with this. I'm just not concentrating hard enough, that's all." I closed my eyes and grabbed the drumstick, prepared to try again.

"Kagome…" Rea's voice became soft, sympathetic. "I know it's hard, but you've got to let go of whatever it is inside you that's holding you back." She paused and sighed sharply. "I fear that it will take you more than a year to be ready at this rate."

I stilled.

_But…_

She had no idea what she was asking me to do. To forget about Inuyasha would be to forget about my whole childhood. She was asking me to lock all of that away and pretend that Inuyasha had never existed.

Was I strong enough to do that?

I let out a deep breath, thinking.

_Well. It's precisely what Inuyasha wanted me to do in the first place, isn't it?_

I straightened my shoulders, reaching a decision.

It wasn't going to happen right away, and I couldn't slam the lid shut on my own. But I knew someone who could help.

* * *

**February**

"Please, Koga!"

"No, Kagome."

"Why not?'

"Why should I?"

"Because I'm going out of my mind with boredom. I need a distraction from school and Rea."

Koga turned away and grunted. "Nope. You'd just end up getting hurt." The ice machine in the refrigerator rattled and spat a few chunks of ice into his cup. "In case you've forgotten, Kagome, you're nothing but a human."

"Yeah," I said, "but I can change that." I reached within my shirt and drew out my Demon ring.

Koga turned just as my transformation ended, a glass of ice-water gripped in his claw-tipped hand. "Ha Ha," he said dryly. "I'd still kick your butt."

I spread my hands on the counter and cocked my head in invitation. "Wanna find out?"

Koga sipped his drink and then sat it down. "Don't push me, Kagome. I don't want to hurt you."

I smirked, deliberately trying to push his buttons. "You won't."

Koga laughed to himself and ignored me, walking around the island and heading toward the empty living room. "Just drop it, Kagome. I'm not going to fight you."

_Oh yeah? _

Koga had just made it through the arched doorway when I barreled into him, arms locking around his waist in a death-grip. Our momentum carried us forward, tipping us onto the leather couch. I grinned, my fangs poking my bottom lip. "I win," I said smugly.

"Are you kidding?" Koga's muffled voice questioned from beneath me. He was trapped face down, my arms stuck under his chest and the rest of my body layered on top of him. I tried to draw back and lift myself up, but his weight on my arms had me pinned.

We were both completely still for a second, and the quiet within the empty house seemed to smother me. I twitched as Koga's muscles tightened suddenly, the slightest of movements, and my breath quickened. I didn't know what I was waiting for (a movement, a sound, a scent?) yet my body seemed to. I was instinctually tensed, waiting for him to do something.

But Koga moved before I could even register what was going on.

One second he was below me, face pressed into the leather couch, and the next he was across the room, staring at me with cold blue eyes. "Alright, Kagome," he taunted. "You wanna fight? Let's go." He crooked a finger at me in blatant invitation.

I stood from my position on the couch, trying to gain my bearings. Koga had moved fast…faster than I'd ever seen him move before. For a second I began to rethink my decision. I didn't want to get injured, and Koga's expression looked murderous. _Geez_, was a sneak attack considered a breach of fighting etiquette or something?

I shook my head and moved across the room, opposite of him, settling into a crouch. I needed this. I needed to learn how to fight. Especially if I was on my way to join a youkai battle.

Koga began to move, circling me. I moved too, keeping a steady distance between us, waiting for him to make the first move.

Which was stupid.

He was on me before I could blink, my back shoved against the wall, his claws at my throat.

"I win," he growled.

I pushed him off of me roughly. "Again."

"Really?" He retreated to the other side of the room, his walk graceful and confident. It pissed me off. We circled again, a dangerous dance, and this time I sprung first.

Koga dodged with ease, his claws brushing across my belly as he skirted away from me. "I win… again," he sighed. "I would've gutted you if we'd been seriously fighting."

I glanced down at my T-shirt which now sported a large, gaping hole that exposed most of my stomach. I was starting to get angry. "Again," I insisted.

As soon as I stated the word Koga sprung on me, knocking me to the floor. I squirmed against his weight, managing to get my legs scrunched between us, my feet braced on the flat hardness of his abdomen. Our eyes met for a split second, and then I pushed as hard as I could.

Koga rolled backwards.

I stood and grinned, proud of myself. Koga didn't pause in celebration though. He unfolded from his position on the floor and came at me again, claws flashing.

I followed my instincts and dodged behind the couch, moving again when he appeared just behind me, having jumped over it. This went on for a few minutes. He attacking, me dodging.

"What's wrong, Kagome? Scared? I thought you _wanted_ to fight me…"

I lunged forward, mad, and as soon as we made contact I knew I was in trouble. His claws sliced across the top of my chest, creating another slash in my T-shirt, and pissing me off even more. I threw my claws out in a clumsy attack and felt them connect with his arm. Koga snarled.

I shot away from him and we began to circle again. His eyes flashed dangerously, glinting like those of a killer. And then they dipped down, taking in the sight of my ripped shirt. I could almost feel the atmosphere charge between us.

_Heh…_

I don't know what possessed me to do it. The heat of the battle. The heat of his stare. The fact that I was getting my butt kicked and wanted at least some sort of advantage over him, maybe? But I gripped the hem of my ruined shirt and slowly pulled it over my head, finally letting it drop to the floor beside me. I stood in nothing but my bra and sweatpants.

Koga smirked, revealing his fangs, his eyes travelling over my exposed form. "Don't test me, Kagome," he growled.

I shifted, placing a hand on my hip. "Bring it, Koga."

He sprung and I leapt backward, scarcely avoiding him. The air of the battle had shifted. I was suddenly the prey and he the hunter. To be caught was to be eaten.

We went around the room, he lunging and I avoiding, connecting every once in a while to exchange blows. I lasted maybe 5 minutes before he caught me. He maneuvered us so that my back was on the seat of the couch and he was straddling my waist, holding my hands above my head in a strong grip, preventing me from escaping.

His face drew close to mine and our labored breaths mingled in the air between us, hot and tempting. "You asked for this you know," he breathed, "so don't blame me later."

I arched my back in answer, pushing my hips into his. "I won't…"

Koga groaned, a strained noise, and then his lips were on mine, quick and demanding. I moaned in happiness at the connection and kissed him back. I could feel his fingers lace through mine, the Demon Ring sliding off my finger, the transformation rippling through me.

And then his hands were on my stomach, my face, my breasts, scorching a burning path over my skin. I wriggled in pleasure, my hands finding a path of their own. They travelled through his hair, down his back, under his shirt, across his abs.

This was what I wanted.

This hot, quick contentment that only Koga could provide.

It was the only way I would be able to forget Inuyasha, lock him away, move on in my lessons with Rea.

It had to be done.

I wanted it to be done.

At least, that's what I told myself.

Koga broke away from me. "What's wrong?"

I focused my gaze back on him. "Nothing," I said dazedly. "Everything's perfect."

Koga lowered his head, placing a kiss on my neck, and I gasped at the foreign feeling. He laughed deep in his chest and leaned back again. "I forgot that this was all new to you."

I frowned up at him. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means we'll take it slow."

I reached up to touch his face, suddenly glad that Koga was the person I'd chosen to do this with, though he could never know my real motive. It would break his heart.

"Hey," he said. "You do know what today is, right?"

I cocked my head in confusion. "Saturday?"

He leaned close to me again and whispered against the shell of my ear. "Valentine's Day."

My eyes widened. I hadn't even thought of it.

"So, Kagome," he pulled away and stared down at me in all seriousness. "Can I ask you this, and get an honest answer?"

I already knew what the question was going to be and what my answer would be in return, but I still felt butterflies form in my stomach. I swallowed. "Go ahead."

Koga closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. He was nervous too. "Will you, Kagome Higurashi, _finally_ be my girlfriend?"

His eyes opened, a fierce shade of blue that gave my heart an unexpected leap. All I could do was grab his head and pull him down so that his lips connected with mine again.

"Yes, Koga Ookami," I mumbled against him. "I will _finally_ be your girlfriend."

* * *

**July**

I'd been training for 6 months now, both spiritually and physically. We were out of school now, our junior year completed, and Koga had finally given in to my pleas and agreed to teach me how to fight.

"I just don't see why you suddenly want to learn how to fight so badly," he said to me.

"Well," I replied, "with the band getting so much attention it couldn't hurt for me to learn some self-defense could it?"

It sounded like a legit reason to me. The Will to Kill _was_ gaining popularity and the last thing Koga wanted was for some rabid fan to corner me in some dark alley. I had to really push him to go hard on me though. Often times I felt like he didn't take our lessons as seriously as he could have. Like he was holding back on me.

If I'd not gotten better over the months though, I'd certainly gotten stronger. And I could dodge a blow like an expert, especially when I was in my youkai form. Occasionally I'd been able to corner Koga, my claws pressed against a vital area such as the neck, the stomach, the groin.

As time passed we'd searched for a good spot to hold our practices, (Koga's living room couldn't take much more) and eventually we'd settled on a small clearing in an abandoned park. The place was surrounded by trees and full of weeds, but it was out of the way and served as a great place to spar, so we tacitly agreed to keep using it.

Today I was in my youkai form.

And today Koga was late.

I wiped an arm across my forehead and grimaced as a stream of sweat trickled down my back. It was hot, and I paced around the small clearing impatiently for a while before finally deciding that I might as well save my energy and take a seat somewhere in the shade.

I collapsed on a stump, blowing sticky bangs out of my face, and holding my hands out in front of me, staring with fascination at the long claws that adorned the ends of my finger-tips. They were so different from my blunt, human ones.

I studied them a moment longer, noting that I had dirt trapped under several of them, and then was struck by a sudden idea.

I straightened my spine and glanced around before closing my eyes and looking within myself, a familiar practice by now. I was slightly startled to find them there, waiting just on the surface of my mind, bright and tempting.

I'd learned to access my powers easily. Nothing was there to block them anymore.

I opened my eyes and focused on a tree that sat about 5 feet away. I looked at my hands and then back at the tree, my hands and then the tree.

_Let's give it a try…._

I flicked my fingers in a nonchalant gesture, not very surprised when sparks of pure energy flew from them, striking the tree with a deadly precision that made even me flinch. All that remained was a scorch mark. I grinned wickedly.

Talk about a secret weapon. A youkai with spiritual powers? No one would be expecting that.

_This just got fun._

* * *

**September**

I grinned out at the crowd. We'd just finished our last song; a duet between Koga and I.

Naraku was still getting us gigs somehow. At least that's what Koga led me to believe. Every month he went to Naraku's office in the underground bar, but I had the sneaking suspicion that the hanyou hadn't been present in Japan since last September, which meant he was most likely overseas just as Mr. Taisho suspected.

"Thank you!" I called over the screams of all the crazy females in the audience. "And don't forget to check out our new CD, in stores next week!"

We'd signed a record label with a prominent recording company recently. Naraku had arranged that too, apparently. Just last month The Will to Kill had finished cutting its first official CD. It was weird to admit it, but we were actually becoming semi-famous. Yesterday I'd participated in my first photo shoot.

My mother was worried sick, of course, but with my disguise as "Kyome" I was pretty safe. And besides that, Koga had trained me very well over the months. I was becoming a genius at hand-to-hand combat.

I still hadn't let him know that I could use my spiritual powers while in my youkai form though. Only Rea knew about that little discovery.

I'd had to find a different spot to practice with them so Koga didn't find out; somewhere closer to Rea so she could watch me occasionally, and remark on my form and whatnot. Tell me a better way to infuse my fighting stances with my spiritual wielding. Sango and Miroku watched every once in a while too, sometimes letting me teach them the basics of fighting if they were in the mood to learn. Sango took to it better than Miroku seemed to, but I wanted both of them to be prepared to protect themselves if need be, so I forced him to get better.

I'd never been more fit, and my powers were advancing at an alarmingly fast rate, surprising even Rea. I consumed every spell she presented to me with startling alacrity, as though I'd already had the knowledge within myself the entire time and she was just helping me remember it. I consumed the spells and transformed them, finding the best way to use them as a weapon.

Sometimes I scared myself.

* * *

**December**

"Do you realize that we've been dating for nearly a whole year?"

I turned in Koga's arms to stare up at him. We were actually taking a day off, just lazing around instead of training or doing school work. It was nice. "We started dating back in February right?"

"Uh hmm," he mumbled into my hair. I sighed heavily at the warmth of his breath and rolled over. We were in his bedroom, lying on his bed. I'd told Mama that we were performing a small concert in a different town; it'd be an overnight trip, I wouldn't be home until tomorrow around lunch.

I pulled myself up into a sitting position and Koga flipped onto his stomach, taking the chance to pull the entire pillow under his head. I stared down at his silent form, thinking of the past year and wondering how it had gone by so fast. Between learning how to fight, using my powers, performing concerts, and being in a relationship with Koga, I hadn't had much time to think of anything else... like a certain inu-hanyou who had piercing golden eyes and smooth silver hair. I missed his dog ears, and how annoyed he would get if I touched them…

_No…_

I braced my head in my hands, trying not to follow the direction these thoughts were headed. It was enough to know that December marked exactly one year since Inuyasha had left for America. One whole year since I'd seen or talked to him.

One whole year since he'd seen or talked to _me._

I draped myself over Koga, wanting to forget. "Your hair is so long…," I noted as I threaded my fingers through it. He had it down for once. The wolf demon moaned under the attention of my hands and his tail twitched in pleasure, making me laugh. I tucked a strand of long, dark hair behind a pointed ear and paused for a moment to trace the edge of it. "Hey…" I peered closer, trying to get a better look. "I didn't know you had a tattoo on the back of your ear. What is it? A spider?"

Koga sat up quickly, removing my hand from his ear and pulling me toward him. "It's just a freckle," he whispered. Koga pushed me down so that he hovered over me for half a second and then his lips descended on mine and all thoughts of a tattoo disappeared.

We were alone, I dizzily realized.

It scared me a bit.

Koga's advances had been getting bolder lately. And we'd been dating a whole year. And I kinda _wanted_ to get certain things over with so I'd quit worrying about it every time he began kissing me.

"Koga…"

He drew back, peering at me from beneath hooded eyes. "Yeah?"

I took a deep breath and tilted my head back, exposing my neck. I couldn't look at him while I said this. It was too embarrassing. "Umm...It's okay this time," I breathed softly, almost inaudibly.

But his youkai ears picked up every word. "Huh? What is?"

"To-," I faltered, but the memory of Inuyasha turning his back on me made me continue. "To go all the way."

Koga was silent for a moment. "Are you sure?" he softly inquired.

I lifted my head and caught his gaze. "I'm positive."

His hands traveled over me, familiar with my body already. I welcomed the feeling. It made me concentrate on the here and now; on Koga. I raised myself and kissed him full on the lips.

_Thank you, Koga. You don't even realize what your presence does for me._

Our clothes fell away, and I shivered as my heated flesh became exposed to the slightly cooler air. My eyes roamed over Koga's figure; his broad shoulders, slender waist, dark complexion. I closed my eyes, hating myself even as the image of Inuyasha's bare torso formed unbidden behind my eyelids.

This was wrong.

I couldn't do this with Inuyasha right on the edge of my mind, watching. "Koga?" I questioned. His eyes travelled back up to my face. "Please, kiss me."

And he did. Inuyasha vanished once more, this time for good. I turned the key, and locked the box, hoping it would be a while before the seal broke again.

I spent the rest of the night in a heated daze, following Koga's whispered directions. He knew what to do, and he knew how to do it well. The pain lasted for only a moment, and then the pleasure engulfed me. I was going to be sore tomorrow, but that was okay.

If I was going to forget certain things, I could certainly think of worse ways to go about doing it.

Later that night, as we lay together, tangled within his sheets, a sweaty mess, I turned Koga's head and pressed my lips against his one last time. He stared at me with dark blue eyes and I stared back, wondering what he saw within mine. His looked intensely sad.

He reached out and gently took my head between his hands, bracing my face. "Goodnight, Kagome." He kissed my forehead and then reached around to turn off the lights.

I sighed in the darkness and snuggled into Koga's arms, somewhat worried about the sad expression I'd seen in his eyes. It bothered me for a reason I couldn't place.

But my thoughts turned fuzzy and ridiculous as I slipped into the realm of dreams, and by the next day, I'd forced myself to forget about it all together.

* * *

**May 20**

Finished.

Sango, Miroku, and Koga posed next to me for a picture. It was our graduation night.

"I can't believe it's over already," Sango lamented. "Doesn't it seem like we just started our senior year?"

I rolled my eyes. "Geez! I thought it would never end!" May couldn't have arrived any slower. After New Year's Eve had passed, it seemed like time had slowed to a crawl. College applications, concerts, training…none of those served to keep me busy.

I was constantly asking Rea for news from America. According to her, things were starting to get hot and heavy over there, and I was ready to get involved.

Miroku wrapped an arm around Sango's shoulders and grinned across at me and Koga. "Can you guys believe we're leaving for America _tomorrow?_"

My heart leapt. The time had _finally_ come. "Nope…," I whispered.

"I know," my mother intoned, stepping closer to us. "I can't believe your band is performing all the way in America! Who knew you guys would get so popular?" I smiled at her as she adjusted her camera.

"Yeah, I was just as surprised as you were."

We actually _did_ have a gig in America, courtesy of Naraku. How ironic was that? It would be even greater if he could just meet us as we stepped off the plane. That would make my job a lot easier. As of right now I had no idea where to even start looking for him.

"Well, you kids better promise me that you'll be safe. I'm sorry I can't go, Kagome. Airplanes just aren't my cup of tea."

"It's okay, Mama. We'll be back before you know it. And I'm counting on Sango to take care of me, that's why I'm making her go."

"Yeah, yeah," Sango moaned with a wave of her hand.

Mama laughed and enfolded me in her arms. I inhaled her scent.

"I love you," she whispered into my hair. "And I'm so proud of everything you've done."

I squeezed her tighter, knowing that if things went wrong in America this could be one of the last times I ever got to hold her.

"Thank you, Mama." I blinked back tears. "I love you too."

* * *

**May 21**

We had a 7:00 A.M flight, which meant we had to be _at_ the airport by 6:00 A.M. I said my good-byes to my family back at the house, hugging Souta and Grandpa so hard they complained. Mama hugged me one last time and slipped an envelope in my hand.

"A graduation gift, from all of us," she whispered. It was a card, signed by the whole family, and 500 American dollars.

"Thank you…," I said, taken aback by the generosity of the gift.

Mama grinned. "I thought you might be able to use it on your trip."

"Yeah," I laughed. "That definitely won't be hard."

She embraced me one last time, her body still warm from sleep. "Be safe."

"I will."

And then I was out the door, into the pre-dawn light, duffel bag slung across my shoulder. Koga met me at the bottom of the shrine steps and we headed toward the bus stop in sleepy silence.

We met Ginta, Hakkaku, Sango, and Miroku at the entrance of the airport.

"Everybody here?" Koga questioned.

Sleepy replies met him, but nonetheless everyone spoke up and all were counted present. After checking to be sure all the instruments were packed and ready, we headed off toward the baggage lines. When Koga presented our tickets, the worker shook her head and pointed us toward a different line. "You're riding on a private jet, honey. Your luggage goes through over there."

"A private jet?" I questioned.

Koga nodded and stared at the tickets. "Apparently," he said lowly. "It must be Naraku's."

We followed the woman's directions and got our luggage and instruments on the right track, then headed toward our gate number.

As we passed through the food court everyone agreed that it would be best to stop for a short breakfast. We had plenty of time after all. As I made my way over to a nearby WacDonald's, Rea suddenly materialized out of the meager morning crowd.

"Kagome."

"Geez!" I jumped. "Don't do that! It's creepy…"

The old woman swatted at my arm. "Oh, be quiet, and listen to me. We have a few things to discuss before you take off across the world."

I nodded, stifling a yawn. "Right. Let me order some food and then we can find a table."

Five minutes later, we sat at a small two-top located in a deserted corner far from any curious ears. She got straight to business. "Now," she said, adjusting her glasses, "you're flying into New York. It's a big place; big as Tokyo. It has plenty of room for both the good _and_ the bad to gather, so keep your guard up and trust no one."

I nodded and swallowed. "The evil won't suspect me," I reasoned, "and the good won't recognize me. It's Sango, Miroku, and the others that I have to worry about. If anybody recognizes them, we may be in trouble."

"Precisely. And don't forget, if you're found by anyone with relations to Inuyasha, you can bet you'll be forced to come home." Rea sighed and shuffled the small stack of papers she'd brought. "And if you don't want Koga to know about any of this, you'd best leave all the research and scouting to Sango and Miroku."

"Yeah," I said uneasily, "but I don't want either of them getting into trouble."

"Tell Koga you guys are going sight-seeing together. He should be okay with that since he's been teaching you self defense."

"We'll see. I'm sure I'll think of something."

Rea's mouth tightened into a small line, and she stared at me steadily through her thick glasses. "Kagome…," she admitted, almost reluctantly, "you've done very well this past year. Your powers are almost at their maximum and you've learned how to access them within a seconds notice." She paused. "But don't think you're invincible. One carefully placed claw, one accurately thrown spear and you're out. The world you are about to enter is dark and sinister. Unlike Koga, the youkai over there won't show mercy."

I stared at her hard, taking in her words and digesting them carefully. They were good ones to remember.

"Please don't get yourself killed. That's all I ask," Rea sighed. "I know you want to help your friends, but don't do it at the risk of your own life."

I reached out and gripped the old lady's hand, glad that she had been the one to train me. "I won't get myself killed if I can help it," I joked weakly. "I'm too young to die."

Rea grinned toothlessly before yanking her hand from mine and becoming stern again. "Now. These are maps I have prepared for you. Make sure Sango and Miroku get a chance to look over them too. I've marked the places you can start looking."

I nodded and she passed the papers across the table to me. Rea stood then, her chair scraping against the tiled floor. "Right then. Good luck, and be safe. All of you." And with that she disappeared back into the crowd.

I stared after her, still finishing my breakfast.

"It's sad," I murmured to myself, "but I'm kinda going to miss her."

After a while I stood up, pushing my trash into a nearby trashcan. I grabbed the papers, attempting to shuffle them into a neat order, but an unusual lump in the middle of them prevented me from doing so. I shook the papers, trying to find the source of the strange obstruction. I nearly jumped when the object fell out, clattering on the table.

_Oh, my God._

It was my lock necklace that Inuyasha had given me more than a year ago. I lifted the delicate piece of jewelry, feeling the prick of power that let me know the concealment spell was still on it. I must have forgotten to get it back from Rea the day I'd given it to her to examine.

I rifled through the papers, looking for an explanation, and found it in the middle of the stack.

_Kagome, _

_Wear this for as long possible. Try to remember to take it off before you use your powers so that the concealment spell is not broken. I forgot to mention this, but when you break a spell, the miko who cast it will know immediately. Whoever cast that spell will be able to track you the moment that thing is tampered with. Be careful._

_-Rea_

I slipped the clasp around my neck and felt the weight of the lock settle with that of my Demon Ring.

_Never thought I'd say this, but..._ "Thank you, Kikyo. For once, you may actually prove to be useful."

After slipping the maps into my carry-on bag, I made my way back into the main part of the food court and met with everybody else. We passed through security and thirty minutes later we were settled in plush chairs aboard Naraku's private jet.

I leaned back and closed my eyes as the jet sped down the take-off ramp.

_Finally…_

I was finally on my way to America.

What I'd find there, I had no clue.

But Naraku had better be good at Hide-And-Seek, because this game was about to get extreme.

-End-

* * *

So. Some people may love this chapter, and others may hate it. I don't care. It's my story.

Anyways... I've been so busy these past few months I don't even think I can describe them. Finishing my senior season of soccer, taking AP exams, graduating from high school, dancing in my last dance recital, writing Thank You letters, going to Scotland, having a boyfriend, worrying about college. I just haven't had time to write!

But never fear, I'm back, and I've reached the point in this story I've been anxious to reach since I began it. So the words should come easily. ;)

Please leave a review!

Oh, and by the way, thanks for all the patience you guys have had with me. I know it's frustrating to wait for months just for a single update. I apologize.

-_RedThread_


	32. Encounter

Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry….Ok. Now read.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.**

* * *

Chapter 32: Encounter

-Start-

I couldn't sleep.

My body wasn't adjusting to the sudden time change very well.

I shifted, turning onto my side to stare at the double doors that led out onto the balcony. Lights from the city twinkled through the blinds. My eyes lingered there for a second and then I shifted again with a soft sigh.

_Hmm…_

Maybe a breath of fresh air would do me some good.

A moment passed and then I gently extricated myself from Koga's arms, pausing every few seconds to make sure his eyes stayed closed.

This was a nice hotel. The sheets slid from my shoulders and fell into a pool of cool silk next to Koga.

He had insisted we share a room. It wasn't exactly my ideal idea of sleeping arrangements, but it also wasn't worth the argument.

I eased myself off the mattress and padded toward the door, listening carefully for any changes in Koga's steady breathing. I only exhaled when I'd managed to make it safely outside, glad to finally have a moment truly to myself.

I braced my arms on the balcony railing and settled my chin on top of them, staring down at the city below that throbbed with a life of its own. Loud, intoxicated people weaved down the streets adding their noise to that of the traffic. I don't think New York was ever truly quiet. It reminded me of home.

_Home…._

I wished I were at home, in bed, losing sleep over a high school test I had the next day.

But no.

Instead I was in another country losing sleep over my father's murderer.

I stared down at the city once more, wondering where in the world I was going to start. This was going to be like finding a needle in a haystack. Naraku could be anywhere. The Taisho family had been over here for nearly a year and still had not managed to catch the man. Why did I think I could find him in a month?

One month.

That was all the time I had.

My hands clenched around the railing and I resisted the urge to get dressed and head downstairs to start my search right this second. I could almost feel my precious time slipping through my fingers like tiny grains of sand; my hourglass had been turned.

I sought the lock necklace that rested against my chest, and slowly pulled it over my head. I was about to do something stupid, but I couldn't bear the thought of standing around doing nothing. I closed my eyes and accessed my powers, allowing them to pulse out across the city.

I was immediately bombarded with a million strange auras, the effect enough to knock me off my feet. I staggered and slumped to the ground, a hand held to my forehead. I quickly severed the tie to my powers, trying to clear my head.

_Dear lord…this is going to be harder than I thought. _

Determination was a strong motivation, but sometimes that wasn't enough. I had thought of nothing but finding Naraku and dispensing of him for the past year, but now that I really saw what I was up against, my passion was beginning to wane. Maybe this had been an impossible mission to begin with.

I sighed heavily and grabbed the railing, pulling myself off the ground. I needed to go to bed. My attitude would be different in the morning when I was well rested and ready to face the day.

My eyes drifted across the New York skyline one last time. Beautiful.

_Inuyasha is out there somewhere, _my mind whispered.

I turned away from the sight of the city.

_Yeah. And I need to stay as far away from him as possible._

I had no intentions of being sent home.

* * *

"Pease tun fo me."

I stared down at the man. What was he trying to tell me now?

Koga sighed. "He said turn, Kagome."

I blinked. "Oh, right."

It was hard to understand the man when his mouth was full of pins.

Today I was being fitted for my stage costume. Our concert was in exactly 1 week.

I was beginning to get impatient though. This was taking absolutely For. Freaking. Ever. I'd already been here for _2 hours. _Didn't this guy know how to do his job? How long did it take to get some measurements?

I turned and the foreign man stabbed some more pins into my side, making sure the leathery material of my short dress was snug against my body. He stepped back to observe, cocking his head this way and that before removing the remaining pins from his mouth and making a satisfied grunt. "It will do."

He motioned for me to step down from the little stage I'd been standing on and I breathed a sigh in relief, understanding that my torture was finally over. I stepped into a dressing room and removed the clothes as carefully as possible, trying to keep all those damned pins in perfect position.

_Freedom, at last! _

When I emerged Koga had taken my place on the upraised stage and I grinned and waved goodbye, making my way toward the exit of the studio.

"Kagome! Where are you going?"

"For a walk. I'll be _fine,_ Koga. Don't worry!" I hadn't pinned Koga as being the over-protective sort of boyfriend, but the past few days he'd barely even let me out of his sight. I reached the glass doors and flung one last statement over my shoulder. "I'll meet you back at the hotel in a little while, okay?"

And then I was through the doorway and into the fading sunshine, on my own.

I allowed the current of people moving down the sidewalk to engulf me and I began to move with them. I studied the faces of the people that surrounded me, a lot of them youkai, with suspicion. Any one of them could be part of Naraku's army.

But….I was much more likely to find Naraku's lot in a seedier part of town. I glanced down a darkened alley, and stopped when I noticed a flickering sign. An underground bar. May as well start somewhere. I pushed out of the crowd and took one last glance at the sky. The sun was dropping fast; it'd be dark in less than an hour.

I had to be quick.

Koga would be out of his mind with worry if I didn't show up by nighttime.

I took a deep breath and descended the grimy steps into darkness. Cigarette smoke and the smell of booze greeted me as I pushed through the door. I looked around in the dim lighting, noticing that the place wasn't doing bad business for the time of day. Several tables and the entire bar were full of men, youkai and human alike. My eyes found an empty table in a corner that was situated between two tables that were already occupied. I pushed my hands into the pocket of my hoodie and began to make my way over, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible.

"And how old are you?"

I froze mid-step.

_Oh crap…_

My mind scrabbled for an excuse as I turned toward the large man sitting next to the door.

I fixed him with a cold stare. "I'm a youkai. I'm older than this _city_," I sniffed.

His expression didn't change. I didn't like this guy.

He wiped a dirty hand under his nose, and leaned back in his chair. "That's a nice ring you've got there."

I glance down at my hands which I'd unconsciously pulled from my pocket. Did this guy know that I was a fake? My spine stiffened and I leveled my gaze back to his. "I know," I said my voice laced with steel. "So why don't you keep your filthy human eyes off of it?"

I turned and stalked to my table, almost wanting him to call me back. I didn't want to get into a fight, but something about that man made me want to punch him in the face. Hard.

I chose the seat farthest from the door, making sure the man couldn't see me, and then settled into the shadows, determined to eavesdrop on the two tables that were closest.

"…should have seen the boobs on that one! Made me nearly—,"

I blushed as the guy finished his very detailed, very _vulgar_ sentence, and then shifted my eyes. Okay. Next table.

"… an ambush at the rendezvous point tonight. The higher-ups want us to take them out."

"Huh? Two _kids_? Look at them!"

I leaned forward in interest. They were passing around a couple of pictures.

"They're just as old as you are Hunter….and probably better fighters too."

This statement was followed by an indignant sputter from Hunter and then a new voice.

"Wait…are we ambushing them or are they ambushing us?"

"They _think_ they're ambushing us, but once they set in, we turn and fight. They won't be expecting it. Should be easy. Besides we have all we need to know right here. All their moves, all their techniques...everything." The guy tapped a folder with a clawed finger. He was youkai.

And my curiosity was officially piqued.

Even if this whole thing had nothing to do with Naraku, it was definitely something that spelled disaster. For two _kids_ no less. These guys were planning to kill them. Before my mind was even made up, my body was moving. I stood and walked past their table, accidentally ramming into one of the guys arms. One of the guys who happened to be holding a picture.

The picture fluttered to the floor and the man turned in his seat, furious.

"I'm _so_ sorry," I apologized. I bent and picked up the shiny photograph, allowing my eyes to take in the image.

The large man, not a youkai I noticed, growled and yanked the picture from my hand before I could fully register what I was looking at. "Be more careful, stupid bitch."

_Excuse me? _My eyes narrowed and I memorized the guy's face before he turned around. He had a scar on his left cheek.

_Oh, he is sooo in for it._

I had originally planned to follow them and help these "kids" out, but this guy just made the whole thing a little more personal.

I straightened my spine and continued on my way, toward the exit, without saying a word.

The man sitting next to the doorway allowed me to pass in silence; I was emitting a very deadly aura at the moment. I watched the man's gaze flick to the table I'd just walked past. He'd no doubt just seen the whole exchange. A shiver racked his body as I stalked by and he shook his head in the direction of the four men sitting around the table.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," he murmured.

Heh. Smart guy.

Maybe he wasn't so bad after all.

* * *

The sun had completed its descent long before the four men left the bar. The neon sign flickering above the entrance to the stairs was the only thing that disturbed the darkness of the long alleyway. My eyes glimmered as my prey climbed into view. Their heads were pressed together in quiet conversation.

I gently slipped my lock necklace from around my neck and stored it in my pocket before quietly following the small posse out onto the main streets.

We walked for several blocks, and I prayed that they wouldn't suddenly jump into a car and speed off, but after about 30 minutes the men halted before another alleyway. This one was also deserted, but much better lit.

For most of the journey I had relied on the crowds to keep me hidden, but this part of city seemed nearly dilapidated. I stuck to the shadows and stayed well behind.

The four men, one youkai and three, dangerous looking humans, started down the thin passage. I let them get a head start, wary of following them into such a confined place. I watched their backs get further and further, and finally decided it was okay to continue with my pursuit.

I took one cautious step.

And that, of course, is when all hell broke loose.

One moment, it was four big guys walking down an alley, the next it was a battleground.

My body tensed as two dark forms dropped from the sky; the two ambushing kids. All according to plan.

Except they weren't kids.

They were the same age as me.

And how did I know that?

Because I knew _them_, of course.

The fierce golden eyes, the shock of white hair... they struck me instantly with a surge of familiarity.

I felt a wave of priestess energy, and my eyes darted toward the other figure. She looked just as hostile as usual. She had her long, dark hair pulled back into a ponytail that swung with her movements.

_What. Is. Going. On? _

I stood in that same place for what seemed like an eternity. I could've been under a spotlight, right within view, and not found enough strength to move. I was grounded, stunned, shocked. My body was absolutely paralyzed.

I watched as Inuyasha and Kikyo systematically took the men out.

The youngest, Hunter, was the first to go down. Inuyasha's claws sank into his belly with a sickening thud and then drew out, slippery with blood. Hunter stared down in surprise, hands hovering over the gaping wound in his abdomen, before sinking to the ground in slow motion.

The youkai went second. As soon as her feet touched the ground, Kikyo had drawn and notched a bow. Before I could even blink the youkai had three energy infused arrows buried in his chest. A moment passed and then he fell to the ground, purified ash.

The remaining men backed away, looking uneasy. The one with the scar on his cheek had his back pressed firmly against a rusty door. Nowhere to go. I watched Inuyasha turn with a menacing stare and advance on him, claws glinting. His arm was raised, ready to strike, but just before he was within striking distance the scarred man rapped his knuckles against the door behind him. And it opened.

Inuyasha's face registered confusion just before a blade stabbed into his side.

He shouted Kikyo's name as he fell to his knees.

And suddenly my body was unfrozen.

I watched as Kikyo turned and dashed for Inuyasha, shooting energy from her fingertips as she went. Men poured out of the doorway, surrounding them both. When she finally reached Inuyasha she looped an arm around his shoulders in an attempt to help him stand.

He pushed her away. "It's nothing. Focus."

Kikyo studied him without a word, gave a quick nod of understanding, and then returned her attention to the situation at hand. She moved until she and Inuyasha stood back to back.

By now I was on the edges of the circle that the men- a mixture of humans and demons- had formed around the two. I'd moved quietly, unnoticed, so it was a complete surprise to everybody when two youkai suddenly exploded in a flash of brilliant light.

"What the hell?" Inuyasha's voice questioned.

The explosion had been on his side.

"Kikyo, how did you—"

I struck again, this time with my claws, clean swipes across two human necks. They fell to the ground, gurgling.

I continued my way around the circle, trailing a glowing hand across the backs of three youkai. This was almost fun.

It took them four more casualties, but by then the men had caught on to who was dealing the damage, and they began to swarm me. The sounds of fighting resumed as Inuyasha and Kikyo joined the chaos.

Adrenaline pumped through my veins, and I lost count as man after man, demon after demon, fell at my feet. One touch with a purified hand, one stab with a sharp claw, and another life was claimed as mine.

I'd never done something so exhilarating. Battling with Koga had always been a rush of energy, but this hit me on a whole new level. I ducked as a youkai sliced his claws toward me with inhuman speed. He was a fast one. We danced around each other for a moment, him stabbing, me dodging, before I finally grew tired of him. I raised my fingers and aimed them like a gun.

"Bye," I said sweetly.

His eyes grew wide as a ray of pure power shot from my fingertips…and then he was gone.

There were about 5 men left from the ambush. Kikyo lunged forward. _Alright, make that four_.

Inuyasha wasn't in sight.

I backed away from the fray, allowing myself a short break. _Hmm…_My eyes darted back and forth. _Something isn't right._

My spine straightened as I felt a sudden presence loom behind me, and I shot to my right, moving fast as I could. But I was too slow. _Damn…._

I turned and faced my adversary, holding a hand against the blood that was coursing from my upper arm. He'd manage to cut me pretty good.

_Focus!_

My gaze rose to meet his in a silent challenge. "Inuyasha," I said coldly with a slight nod of my head. I was fighting hard to keep any emotion out of my voice. Now wasn't the time to sort through my feelings. I could deal with that later. Preferably when I was by myself and had time to actually think.

His eyes flashed. "Who are you?"

I backed away as he began to advance. "It doesn't matter."

He took another step closer. The throbbing pain in my arm disappeared as my body tensed, ready to flee if he made any sudden moves.

Which he did.

Inuyasha moved abruptly, nothing but a blur of speed, faster than I could follow.

But I was just as quick. Koga's training was really paying off.

"I don't know you," Inuyasha growled as he lunged toward me in another burst of speed. "So that makes you the enemy."

I weaved in and out as he struck at me in a series of continuous blows. His arms were moving so fast it was hard to predict where the next blow would be coming from. Apparently I wasn't the only one who'd been training in the past year.

His attack let off for a second and I sprung away just as he reached for me. "I don't want to fight you," I hissed from several feet away.

Inuyasha studied me intently, panting slightly; his stomach wound was starting to cause him trouble. His brows drew together in an angry line. "Then tell me who you are," he ordered fiercely.

I stared back at him through an emotionless mask. "I can't."

He nodded, his head hanging tiredly. "Then I have to fight you."

I stepped away from him and my back thudded into a solid wall. I sagged against it, allowing my guard to drop in a moment of pure exhaustion. I'd been using too much spiritual energy.

Inuyasha saw my moment of weakness and acted on it. He rushed me, and all I could do was brace myself for the sudden shock of pain that bloomed in my side. He'd stabbed right into my ribcage. I was suddenly having trouble drawing air into my lungs.

Inuyasha leaned forward, breathing heavily, his claws still embedded in my body. His forehead was pressed into my shoulder.

"Inuyasha," I groaned. My eyes were closed in pain. "I-It hurts."

I placed my hand over his where it was buried in my side, and gasped as he gave a sudden twist. "Stop saying my name," he rasped. Inuyasha pulled his hand backwards in one swift movement and I all but fainted from the pain of it.

_No! You're a demon right now. You can handle this. Focus, focus, focus. Stand up!_

Somehow I'd ended up on the ground, fighting to draw a breath and keep my vision straight. Inuyasha was bent over me, one of his hands braced against the wall above my head and the other on his stomach.

In the distance, Kikyo was still fighting. She seemed to be having a particularly hard time with the last remaining youkai.

I allowed my eyes to slip close again and this time I drew all of my priestess powers inward and focused them on one spot. Rea had forced me to learn some healing, and while I couldn't actually mend bones and reform muscles I could definitely help speed along the process. Already my youkai body was beginning to mend itself, and I lent the last vestiges of my power to speed things up even further.

My breathing evened out and the pain began to ebb away. I opened my eyes and breathed deeply. My vision was steady.

Inuyasha was still bent over me, his golden eyes narrowed in suspicion. "How do you _exist?_ I can sense spiritual energy coming from you…but you're a _demon. __Why?"_

I diverted my gaze from his, avoiding the question. "Look…I can explain everything _later_. Just…let it go for the moment and trust me. I'm on your side."

"And why do you sound so damn familiar?"

My mouth snapped shut and I stared at him with wide eyes. Not good.

Thank God that stupid scarred face man appeared right about then. He'd been crouching next to the door on the opposite side of the alleyway (the coward) and now he was attempting to sneak up behind Inuyasha. In one lithe bound I was off the ground, around Inuyasha, and standing right in front of the man.

"Hi," I said conversationally. "Remember me? The girl from the bar? The one you were _so_ rude to?" Recognition sparked in the man's face and he swung a punch at me. Fear rolled off of him in waves. I caught his wrist and twisted it into an unnatural angle. "Yeah, I thought so."

I twisted him until he was on his knees and then I leaned in close. "Now tell me," I whispered in a dangerously low tone. "Who are you working for?"

The man stared at me and then made his final decision. He spat in my face.

I had him flat on his back in a second. "Bad choice." I drove my claws into his neck and then watched as he struggled to speak one last time.

"L-long… live…Naraku."

I stepped away from him with narrowed eyes. "Just as I suspected." Naraku was behind all of this.

I stood there in silence and then carefully drew my lock necklace from my pocket and clasped it around my neck, being careful to make sure it was hidden under my hoodie.

My very blood-stained hoodie.

I was going to have to find a change of clothes before I even thought about going into the hotel.

My eyes widened.

_Oh crap! Koga!_

He was probably out searching for me right this second. I had to get out of here.

I turned around and found Inuyasha staring at me. "Why can't I feel your powers anymore?"

I stared at him stoically, though something inside of me was screaming to tell him everything, reveal myself on the spot. _Later…._I promised myself. _I'll definitely tell him everything when all of this is over. _

"Bye, Inuyasha."

I spared him one last lingering look, and then shot off into the dark.

"Wait! Come back!"

I ducked my head and ran faster.

_Later... _I promised myself. _Later._

-End-

* * *

Phew! Long chapter! Sorry it took forever to get out. I was having an insane amount of trouble getting the chapter started. I think I rewrote the beginning about 3 times.

But anyways, the _next_ chapter _is_ started. Stick around. :)

Thanks!

-_RedThread_

Oh! And for any Avatar: The Last Airbender fans out there… Did you guys know that they are making another animated series? It's called Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Legend of Korra. Go look up the trailer. I'm super excited so I had to share this with everyone! :) :) :)


	33. Bad Guys

Alright! Another update! In only a scant month and half! Amazing!

Haha.

Enjoy! :)

* * *

Chapter 33: Bad Guys

-Start-

I managed to grab some spare clothes from a clothes line that was strung between buildings. My old, bloody ones went into a nearby dumpster.

I had no idea what time it was, just that it was dark and Koga was going to absolutely hand me my _ass _when I got back to the hotel. At least I had enough sense to stop in a public restroom and attempt to straighten myself before making my appearance.

I could only pray that the smell of Inuyasha wasn't lingering on me.

* * *

By the time I'd made to back to the hotel I'd come up with a plan.

"Kagome? What the hell _happened_ to you?"

I shoved past her. "Sango, I need you to be my alibi."

"I repeat, what the _hell_ happened to you? Did you steal those clothes from a hobo?"

I stood in her room and turned in a circle, trying to think. "Long story. Can I borrow some pajamas?" The digital clock on her bedside table said it was nearly 11:00 p.m. at night.

She strode over to a drawer and pulled out some sweatpants and a T-shirt. "Dear lord, you're a mess…What's in your hair?"

I'd done the best I could with it, but apparently dried blood didn't come out of hair too easily.

Sango grabbed my hand and pulled. "C'mon. You need a shower."

She was right.

I allowed her to drag me into the large bathroom and sit me down on the toilet lid while she turned the shower on and got the temperature adjusted. I was beginning to slow down; the adrenaline was melting out of my muscles and my brain was aborting due to exhaustion. It felt good to let somebody else make decisions for me, even simple ones like taking a shower. What had I come here to do again?

"Alright. It's ready. Up, Kagome, up."

I was slumped back staring into space, not really paying attention to anything.

My mind had stopped racing and realization was beginning to sink in.

I'd killed somebody tonight. In fact I couldn't even count how many people I'd killed tonight. I was a killer. People were _dead_ because of me.

I sat perfectly still, weighing the thought. No reaction.

_What right did I have to steal away their lives? To wipe them off the earth? To allow them to never see or speak to the people they love again?_

My hands were trembling.

_Oh god…I'm just as bad as Naraku. _

My reaction finally kicked in. I was shaking violently now.

_What has happened to me? _

A vision of myself stabbing the scarred man in the neck replayed through my mind. He struggled to speak, blood spilling from the corners of his mou-"Kagome!"

Sango's voice brought me back to reality for a second. I think I was crying. My face was wet.

"Shower. Come on. You need to calm down." She got me on my feet and began to pull my shirt over my head. I gasped at the same time she did.

"_Shit_, Kagome. Are you okay? What _happened_?" She was staring at my side, right where Inuyasha had impaled me with his claws. Raising my arms had stretched my rib-cage the wrong way, and I whimpered. I was far from being completely healed.

Sango eased the shirt off the rest of the way as best she could. "God, your arm _too_?"

I stared at it numbly, still not speaking.

Sango sighed heavily and finished undressing me, carefully setting my Demon Ring on the counter next to the sink. When she tried to remove my necklace I made a noise of protest and she left it alone. "Just stand in here and try not to move, okay? I'll be right back." She maneuvered me into the streaming water and then closed the shower door.

I don't know where she went or what she was doing, but by the time she came back I was on the shower floor. My legs were pulled to my chest with my arms wrapped tightly around them… like it was the only way I could hold myself together.

"Shh, Kagome. It's okay." I was sobbing now, loud, wracking sounds that made my wounds throb with every heave. "You're fine. I'm here." She ran her fingers through my scalp and rinsed the blood from my hair. I watched as red rivulets trailed down my arms and disappeared down the drain.

So much blood. I broke my silence.

"They're dead, Sango. They're gone forever and it's entirely my fault." I rocked back and forth, starting to become hysterical.

"Talk to me, Kagome. Calm down and talk. Who's dead?"

"All of them," I gulped. "They're all dead. We killed them all. Inuyasha and Kikyo…and me."

Sango's hands froze. "Wait? Inuyasha and Kikyo? What are you talking about?"

I shook my head, and dropped my face onto my forearms, closing myself off again.

Sango's hands moved in soothing circles once more, being careful around my injuries. She seemed to realize that I wasn't ready to talk and she let me grieve for as long as I needed. Eventually she got me out of the shower and into some clean clothes.

"Lay down, Kagome." She gently tucked me under the covers of her bed and rubbed a hand across my forehead. I was shivering. "Shh…just relax and close your eyes. Everything is going to be fine."

Sango continued to whisper to me, and her voice finally lulled me into the welcoming arms of sleep. I let go and fell into its dark embrace, completely gone.

* * *

The feeling of someone groping my boobs was what finally woke me.

"What the hell, Miroku! You're supposed to be re-wrapping her rib-cage, not her breasts!"

The hands instantly dropped lower. "I was checking for injuries…"

"Checking for injuries my ass," Sango mumbled. "You were taking advantage of her, and this is not the time Miroku. She's seriously hurt. Plus she's been asleep for nearly 15 hours…."

Miroku's voice grew serious and he sighed. "That's normal, Sango. Her body is healing. She _needs_ to sleep." He paused and his hands disappeared. "In fact, I wonder if she'd heal faster in her demon form. Maybe we should put her ring back on."

I answered without opening my eyes. "Actually," I croaked, "he's right. I would heal faster."

They both froze.

"Kagome! You're awake! Are you hungry? Are you hurting?" I opened my eyes as Sango fluttered to the side of the bed, looking like she wanted to touch me, but at the same time trying to resist the urge.

"Water would be good," I rasped.

Miroku moved to help me sit up, carefully placing pillows behind my back. "Here," he said, handing me my Demon Ring. I slipped it on and leaned back as my body shifted into a new figure… a stronger one. The dull pain that throbbed through my torso instantly decreased.

I swallowed dryly. "Ahh…"

Sango hurried back into the room with a glass of water and climbed onto the bed next to me. "Here," she said.

I didn't think I'd ever tasted anything so good. I gulped the water down and Sango sent Miroku off to refill the empty glass.

"So," she said tentatively as Miroku reappeared, "are you ready to talk?"

I sank back onto my pillows and sipped the water slowly this time, savoring it. "Yeah. I'm ready." I needed to talk. This would be good for me. "I, uh, got into a fight," I started.

They stared at me without surprise.

"And…," Miroku prompted.

"Well, I obviously got hurt…" I stopped and shook my head. "Hold on. Let me start over." I took another swallow of water and then launched into my story. "I overheard a couple of shady men planning to kill off some kids, so I tracked them, hoping to put a stop to the madness. And lo and behold it turned out that these "kids" were actually Inuyasha and Kikyo."

"Wait. What?" Miroku questioned. "These men were after Inuyasha and Kikyo?"

"Yeah. But I wasn't aware of that when I followed them. Anyway, Inuyasha and Kikyo were handling themselves just fine. Until another batch of men came flooding through a doorway."

Miroku stopped me once more. "And where was all of this happening?"

"An alley on the outskirts of the city. It was darkish and there wasn't much room for a fair fight. So I decided to help. Everything was going well until Inuyasha cornered me." I winced at the memory. "He wanted to know who I was, but I refused to tell him, so he refused to trust me."

Sango shook her head sympathetically. "Well, you can't be too careful these days."

"And then he stabbed me in the ribs."

Sango choked on her words. "_He _did that? But you were _helping_! _What_ an asshole!"

I shrugged. "Can't be too careful these days, right?" I didn't blame Inuyasha for what he did. I mean, how could he have known it was me?

We sat in silence for a few moments and then I continued. "Well it took a few minutes, but I actually managed to heal the worst of the wound with my miko powers, so in the end I was able to slip away from him. He'd been stabbed in the stomach before I'd stepped in to help, so he wasn't moving too fast by then. After that I…"

The night suddenly came rushing back, the blood on my hands, the man I was about to slaughter. I swallowed.

"After that I cornered one last man and asked him who was behind it all…," I trailed off, my vision becoming unfocused. I was back in that alleyway. "But he wouldn't answer me, and I already had a personal grudge against the guy because he'd called me a _stupid bitch_." I looked down at my hands and curled them into fists. "So I finished him off." I lifted my face. "I killed him."

Sango's arms circled around me and I was brought back to the room. A single tear was trailing down my cheek.

"Shh…Kagome. This is war. He would have killed you without a second thought if he'd had the chance. You don't get involved in this kind of stuff without knowing what you're risking. He knew his life would be in danger."

"But I feel so bad," I moaned.

Miroku's hand patted the top of my head. "Which only goes to show how good of a person you are. Who knows how many people those men have killed or were _going_ to kill. You've saved lives, Kagome. And those men don't deserve any of your sympathy."

I relaxed under the attention of their hands and the weight of their words, considering something. "I almost feel like I _need_ to feel bad though. It's like if I stop feeling bad, I'm not me. You know? I'm just some merciless killer who's just as horrible as they are…."

"But you're not, Kagome. Remember that."

Sure. I'd try to keep that in mind the next time I got an adrenaline rush from stabbing someone in the gut. I sighed.

I did feel a little better though. Sango and Miroku were right. This was a war. People would die, bad and good. I was going to have to suck it up and get used to the idea. This wasn't some movie; it was really happening.

"Thanks, you guys. Really. I'm glad I forced you to come here."

"Forced?" Miroku echoed. "You paid for everything! It's basically a free trip! You couldn't have _stopped_ me from coming with you."

I laughed at his expression. "I didn't pay for it though. Koga was the one who arrang- " I stopped, my body stiffening in dread. "Koga! Oh, god! What am I going to do?"

Sango pulled away from me and climbed off the bed. "Taken care of. As far as he knows you were with me all day yesterday after your fitting. I called him when you were in the shower last night and told him you'd fallen asleep in my room and I didn't want to wake you."

I relaxed and let out a breath. My best friend was so smart.

"He called back this morning though. I told him we were shopping. He didn't sound too happy about it. Said he wanted to have dinner with you tonight, and you'd better be there." Sango raised an eyebrow at my appearance. "So you need to get up and think about getting ready." Her eyes travelled down to my bandaged arm. "We'll have to find a dress that has sleeves. That spot on your arm still hasn't disappeared yet."

I stared at it grimly. "Terrific."

* * *

I was to meet Koga at the restaurant by 7:00 p.m. sharp.

My taxi pulled up at approximately 6:30.

I eased myself out of the car and stared up at the giant skyscraper that stood before me. Apparently the restaurant was on the very top floor. I took a deep breath to steady myself and smoothed an imaginary wrinkle out of my dress before beginning to walk.

My dress was simple, yet elegant; a silky, black, low-cut thing that felt good against my bruised skin and fell about 3 inches below my butt. My upper-arms were covered... half of my chest was not. I mentally rolled my eyes. Miroku had helped Sango pick it out. The only jewelry I wore was my lock necklace, a pair of dangly earrings, and my Demon Ring; my shoes were stilettos that clicked with every tottering step I took. Dear lord, how had I let them put me into this death trap of an outfit?

I straightened my spine and tried to gain some composure. This was a classy place. I had to act like I knew what I was doing. That included walking like a normal person, and not a half-crouched monkey.

_You can do it, Kagome. These shoes will __**not **__get the best of you._

I managed to make it to the elevator without killing myself and silently cheered in success as it began to lift toward the top floor. According to the internet this restaurant was entirely made up of windows, allowing the customers to take in a beautiful view of the city as they dined on ridiculously small portions of over-priced food.

Koga had better be paying for all this.

The elevator ascended to the 33rd floor and then stopped. When the doors opened I wasn't quite sure what to expect…but what I got was amazing. Artfully placed white Christmas lights lent a festive, yet classy atmosphere to the large round room.

I stepped into the hall slowly, staring at as much as I possibly could. Small tables, covered in white cloth, surrounded the edges of the windows. Low murmurs filled the air with quiet conversation and candles flickered on each table. I begin to walk toward the hostess' stand, trying to keep my mouth closed. This place was amazing.

"Reservation?" the hostess asked.

I snapped my mouth shut and managed a smile. "I'm with Ookami."

The hostess checked her list and seating chart before flashing me a smile. "Mr. Ookami is right this way."

I followed the woman down a few stairs and around a low, half-wall. Koga was seated at small, two-top that was pressed against the window. He stood up just before we reached the table and stepped around to pull my chair out for me.

I studied him searchingly, making sure he wouldn't suddenly decide to pull the chair out from under me, just because he was pissed off. He smiled.

It was feral.

Just as I was beginning to sit down, he leaned in close and whispered against my ear. "Nice dress." I shivered and crossed my legs on instinct. Koga was absolutely _radiating_ sexual energy. _Mad,_ sexual energy. Not a good combination.

Koga sat down across from me and we locked eyes. "So…care to explain the past day and a half? I haven't seen you in over 24 hours."

My gaze dropped to the menu in front of me, and I promptly began to lie out of my teeth. "Uh…I was just touring and shopping… with Sango." I took a sip of ice water. "You know, just getting some quality girl time in. Didn't she call to let you know?"

His cerulean eyes were boring into my own dark green ones. After a moment he responded in a dangerously low voice. "Don't do it again, Kagome."

"Don't do what again?"

"Disappear."

My breath caught and I fought to keep my facial expression neutral. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

He studied me for a moment longer and then his gaze dropped to his menu. "What are you getting to eat?"

I released a mental breath. A change in topic. That was good. Safe. "The, uh…Tilapia. You?"

His mouth hitched in a smirk, revealing a glint of fang. "Steak."

I shuddered. God, why was he so predatory?

We settled into small talk and I was beginning to relax when I got the sudden, uncanny feeling that I was being watched. I discreetly glanced to the side and then turned to look behind.

"What is it?" Koga asked.

I turned back to him. "Nothing. I just feel like someone is watch-" I stopped mid-sentence. Target located. Inuyasha was sitting on the other end of the restaurant glaring at me from over Koga's shoulder.

_No, no, no, no. _

He began to stand, his golden eyes never leaving mine.

_Not good, not good. This can't be happening. _

I stood abruptly, accidentally ramming my knee into the table and making everything rattle. _Smooth, Kagome._ I looked down at Koga. "I have to go to the bathroom. I'll be right back."

He cocked an eyebrow. "Okay."

I rushed past Koga and shot toward the restrooms, making sure Inuyasha saw me. He rounded the corner just after I did. The small hallway was dimly lit, but perfect for this encounter. I turned, keeping my back to the wall and my eyes on Inuyasha.

He paced closer. Close enough to whisper. "Who _are_ you?" he demanded furiously. "And why are you following me?"

"You think I'm following you?"'

"I know you are."

I snorted and crossed my arms. "Well, you're wrong."

"Then why are you here?"

"To eat. Duh."

Inuyasha tilted his head, eyes narrowed in suspicion. He seemed to have recovered greatly from last night. His movements revealed no stiffness. "You wouldn't happen to be here for a…_business_ dinner would you?"

"What? No." I tilted my chin up. "I'm on a date, actually."

Inuyasha backed away. "Dating a bad guy, by any chance? One named Naraku?"

_What the hell? He still believes I'm in league with Naraku?_

I slowly stepped forward until I was right in Inuyasha's face. I matched his glare with one of my own. "I don't _date_ bad guys," I whispered lowly. "I kill them."

His eyes widened fractionally and I pushed around him, stalking toward the end of the hallway. I don't think I could have been any clearer about which side I was on. _And believe me Inuyasha, you'd much rather have me as an ally than an enemy._

I paused at the end of the short passage and whirled around to face Inuyasha one last time. He stared back from the other end of the hallway, dark brows lowered over his eyes as he studied me.

I smiled, revealing my fangs, trying to appear like the badass I was making myself out to be. "We may be after the same thing, Inuyasha, but remember this: Naraku. Is. _M__ine._"

The hanyou was suddenly 10 feet closer and we were face to face. Demon speed. Inuyasha grinned and I swear my heart stopped beating.

"Game on."

He crossed his arms, leaned back, and continued to stare at me with smoldering eyes. I flushed as his gaze slowly dropped, following the line of my dress.

"Nice necklace."

-End—

* * *

Comment! Review! Rate!

Thanks!

-_RedThread_


	34. The Betrayal

Wow. Possibly the quickest update ever, huh? Haha. I know, I'm proud of myself too. :D

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha**

* * *

Chapter 34: The Betrayal

-Start—

I tiredly slipped on a large T-shirt and slumped into bed, exhausted. Today had been hell; nothing but rehearsal, rehearsal, rehearsal. I rested a cool hand against my forehead and allowed my eyes to slip close.

Instant problem.

Inuyasha appeared behind my eyelids, unbidden.

It had been nearly a week and I couldn't get him off of my mind. I'd analyzed our encounter from the restaurant about a thousand different times, and I still couldn't decide how I felt about it. Were we allies? Rivals? The biggest question of all: Had he recognized my necklace?

I knew one thing for sure. In the year we'd been apart, Inuyasha had become a pervert. _I wonder if he even really __**noticed**__ the necklace… _Because it seemed to me that he'd been staring at something else entirely.

A pleasant jolt shot through my belly as I imagined the phantom heat of Inuyasha's stare brushing across my skin. Good lord. When had he learned to do _that_?

I moaned and sat up, trying to distract myself.

"Ready for tomorrow?"

I turned quickly, feeling as though I'd been caught doing something naughty. Koga was standing in the bathroom doorway. He'd just gotten out of the shower. A towel hung low on his hips and another was being used to dry his hair. My eyes were immediately drawn to the rivulet of water that was quickly making its way down his abdomen. I was thoroughly distracted.

"Y-yeah. Definitely. You?"

He disappeared back into the bathroom. "Not really."

That threw me off. Any lecherous thoughts I'd been entertaining vanished. "Huh? What do you mean?" I stood up and began to follow after him. "Are you nervous?"

The lights suddenly died, and the room was bathed in moonlight. I paused, nearly to the bathroom door when Koga reappeared; I could sense him moving in the dark, even without my Demon Ring on. He grabbed my shoulders and pulled me close, his lips locking against mine in a rough kiss. I instantly tensed, not understanding what was happening. Weren't we just having a conversation?

Koga's hands moved to cup my face, and he continued his hungry attentions without pause. I began to relax. Despite my mind's confusion, my body knew exactly what was going on. I looped my arms around Koga's neck and he drew me up against his chest. It wasn't long before my legs were somehow wrapped around his waist. He began to walk us back toward the bed.

I drew my face away, breathing hard. "Koga?"

He laid me flat on my back and nuzzled into my neck. "Shh…Don't talk, Kagome."

Something in his voice kept me silent. He lifted his head and met my stare. The moonlight made his blue eyes appear dark, guarded. And yet somehow they seemed to be…pleading for something. I opened my mouth to speak again, but he sensed my intentions and muted me with another kiss.

My gut told me that something was wrong; that definitely wasn't stage fright lurking in the depths of his eyes. Yet at the same time I could sense that Koga didn't want to talk about it. He was going to show me instead. I relaxed back into the pillows and pulled his face down to mine. "I'm here."

He kissed me gently, whispering against my lips. "I know. And that's all I need."

We'd never really said the words "I love you," but tonight seemed different. It was as if Koga wanted to tell me, but somehow couldn't. His mouth slanted across mine once more and he kissed me as though we'd never meet again. I got the message.

He loved me.

I closed my eyes and allowed myself to get sucked into the moment, the here and now. It was just me and Koga, and every time he touched me I was grounded; possessiveness was apparent in every stroke, every movement. I groaned. The wolf-demon had me.

Tonight, I belonged to Koga.

* * *

He was gone by the time I woke up the next morning. A note rested on the bedside table underneath the weight of my Demon Ring. I eased myself up and reached over to grab it.

_Sorry I had to leave so early. Had some last minute errands to run before the show. Today's gonna be a busy day. Rise and shine. –Koga_

I glanced blearily at the clock.

Crap.

It was already 11:00 a.m.

I moaned, and then reluctantly rolled out of bed to face the day.

* * *

"This isn't mine," I said to the woman who was assigned to deal with my wardrobe. "I was fitted for a short, leather dress."

The woman crinkled her brow and read the label attached to the plastic covered garment. "It says 'Kagome Higurashi.'"

I leaned forward to read for myself. _Kagome Higurashi. _

_Hmm…That's weird. This definitely isn't what I tried on the other day. _I gently grabbed the dress from the woman and held it up, allowing it to drop to its full length. It was a white number that swept all the way to the floor and reminded me of something that a Grecian Goddess would wear. It would look striking with my red cape.

I shrugged.

"If you find the leather dress I was talking about, let me know." I guess I was just going to have to wear what I'd been given.

The lady nodded. "Sure."

I stepped into a changing room and slipped into the dress. It was strapless and smooth as silk, the top layer a sheer fabric that gave the whole thing an ethereal look. It fit me perfectly. I walked out of the dressing room and allowed the woman to do some final adjustments before making my way toward hair and makeup.

Sango and was already in there. Guys weren't allowed.

She smiled when she saw me. "That dress is _so_ awesome, Kagome!"

"Yeah. It's not the one I was fitted for though. I'm lucky it fits me so well."

I folded the dress behind my knees and sat down in a salon chair that was positioned before a huge mirror.

Sango walked toward the mirror and leaned her elbow on the counter, resting her chin on her hand. "This is so bizarre to me, Kagome. You're like, a legit celebrity now. This show is gonna be huge and it's completely sold out."

"You're making me less nervous every second, Sango," I said sarcastically.

She just laughed. "You'll do fine. There's absolutely nothing to worry about."

* * *

I fidgeted with my lock necklace and tried to block out the sounds emanating from just beyond the curtains. 10 minutes until show time. I peered around nervously, trying to catch a glimpse of my fellow band members. I hadn't seen any of them at all today, which was kind of throwing me off. For all I knew, they weren't even here yet.

There was suddenly a flurry of activity on stage. I glanced across and sighed in relief as Ginta and Hakkaku leapt into their places. The crowd began to cheer, and my heart pounded with their chants. Koga sauntered onto stage shortly after, concentration on his face and guitar in hand.

Everything was in place, just as we'd rehearsed.

I breathed in and out carefully, waiting for my cue. My fingers caressed the lock necklace in one last nervous gesture and I closed my eyes, focusing on finding my center. By the time the first notes strummed through the air, I was relaxed. Koga continued to play and I took a deep breath before launching myself out into the open. I was suddenly face-to-face with a very large, very _loud_ crowd. We were in a huge, arena-like building that sat hundreds of people. The noise was deafening.

And it was incredible.

Koga continued to play, soft and haunting. Ginta and Hakkaku joined him. I floated to the microphone, my long dress trailing behind me, my red cape weighing heavily on my shoulders. This was it. I drew a breath, the first words on my lips…

And then the music stopped.

_Huh? What's going on?_

I turned to check behind me, trying to figure out why the heck the music had been silenced. The three wolf demons stared at me quietly, their hands still on their instruments. "Why did you guys sto-"

"Sorry to interrupt."

I instantly froze in place, my eyes widening with disbelief. _That voice. _I turned, my cape whirling behind me.

Naraku stood on the edge of the stage, microphone in hand. "This is the part where I come in."

I could feel my face twisting into a snarl. "Naraku," I hissed dangerously. My voice echoed across the huge room. The entire crowd had gone silent.

He grinned creepily. "Indeed."

_Why is he here? What is he doing? _His aura was choking me. I couldn't think of anything but crossing the distance between us and having my revenge. This was the man I'd been seeking to kill for nearly a year, and he was standing only right across the stage. I was shocked from seeing him so suddenly, but it wasn't long until instinct kicked in. I began to move toward him, first one step, then two, and suddenly I was flat out running. Naraku's dark eyes narrowed as I grew closer and he made a dismissive motion with his hand. "Koga. Grab her." I continued moving, his words held no meaning. Koga had nothing to do with this. "_Now,"_ Naraku growled.

Koga suddenly blurred before me, blocking my way.

"Move, Koga. You don't understand what's going on," I growled. "That man is evil. I have to stop him."

Koga lowered his head, avoiding my gaze. He grabbed my wrists and then moved behind me, holding me as though I were in handcuffs. "Koga?"

The crowd remained eerily quiet.

"Let go of me, Koga!" I could feel something building in my chest, trying to escape. Naraku was standing only a few feet away from me. I was so _close. _I struggled against Koga's hold, desperately trying to close that tiny space that separated me from Naraku.

_But what are you going to do, Kagome? Kill him in front of an audience. You'll be locked up for murder._

I hesitated, realizing what I was planning to do. Naraku began to speak again.

"You think he doesn't understand what's going on? Why, Koga here is one of the main players." I froze at his words, a couple of people in the crowd snickered. _What? _Naraku continued to smile and I felt Koga's hands tighten on my wrists.

I glared. "What are you talking about?"

His face grew smug. "Koga belongs to _me_. He's been guarding you for the past year and a half."

I faltered. _No. He's lying. That can't be true. _A sickening theory was beginning to take shape in my mind. "Guarding me?" I asked weakly.

Naraku was suddenly standing right in front of me, center-stage. "That's right," he whispered into my face. "Everything Koga has done has been on my orders. I _ordered_ him to have you join the band. I _ordered_ him to separate you from your friends. And I _ordered _him to make you his girlfriend." My eyes widened in disbelief. "It made it easier to keep tabs on you," Naraku continued softly, "if you were always with him." My shoulders slumped and my eyes dropped to the ground as the realization that everything Koga had ever said to me, done for me, done _with_ me, had been fake. All of it meant nothing.

"You're lying!" I shouted at Naraku.

"Am I? Who's holding you captive this very moment?"

I struggled again, trying to force myself free. But Koga's grip on my arms was strong as steel and just as unmoving. After a minute of futile effort, I finally gave up and stilled. My head dropped to my chest in defeat.

"Koga, is he telling the truth?" I whispered quietly.

A moment passed.

"Is he telling the truth?" I yelled.

"Yes," his voice was low behind me, unfeeling. "Naraku is telling the truth."

Last night suddenly made sense. The pleading in his eyes… he'd been pleading for forgiveness. This has all been planned from the beginning.

I was crumpling in on myself. This had to be a dream. A nightmare. The real Koga would never side with someone like Naraku.

"Now, how about we introduce you to the crowd," Naraku continued after my little outburst. "They've been waiting a long time for this."

_What? What the hell does he even want with me anyways?_

"My people," his voice rang out, "I would like to formally introduce you to Kagome Higurashi!" He grabbed my hands from Koga's grip and yanked me forward. I followed him like a rag-doll, limp with disbelief from everything that was happening. In one smooth motion my Demon Ring was gone from my finger. My power was instantly sapped from my body and I sagged in Naraku's hold as I shifted into my human form. My weaker form. My true form. Several members of the audience gasped in surprise.

"This is the girl I've been hunting for nearly 500 years." He held me out, presenting me to the crowd. "This is Kagome Higurashi, Keeper of the Jewel."

A murmur swept through the crowd. And then it hit me. They knew exactly what was going on. Naraku had orchestrated this entire thing. There was never going to be a concert in the first place. Each and every one of these people had probably been invited. I was staring at Naraku's army.

I struggled against his hold, the stirrings of anger beginning to form deep inside my chest again. "You're crazy!" I hissed. "I don't have a Jewel!"

He chuckled low in his throat. "Oh, but you do, Kagome. Let me show you."

I stopped struggling at the tone of his voice. I could sense something bad was about to happen. I shook my head.

Naraku continued to smile. "Ready?"

The next moment seemed to happen in slow motion. I watched as Naraku's hand transformed into that of a demon; sharp claws glinted as he drew back, preparing to strike. His other hand still held me.

_This can't be happening. _My gaze flickered to Koga. _Help me! _But he didn't move a muscle. His stare was empty. _Ginta? Hakkaku? _They wouldn't even look at me.

Naraku's hand came down in a smooth arc.

My eyes widened and I let out a strangled gasp as he slid his claws into my ribcage, like a knife slicing cleanly through a hunk of meat. He'd managed to stab me in the exact same spot as Inuyasha. I curled around his arm reflexively, as though that would somehow lessen the pain. His fingers began to move within my body, searching for something.

A single, solitary voice ripped across the crowd. "_No!_ Kagome!"

_Inuyasha?_ My head snapped up and I scanned the crowd desperately. _Inuyasha!_

And then I began to scream.

Naraku twisted his hand, and back spots danced across my vision. I'd never felt something so painful in my life.

After what seemed an eternity, he pulled his clawed fingers from my body. I stared down in sick fascination at the red stain that was slowly expanding across the white fabric of my dress. _Naraku switched my dress, _I realized. _So that the crowd could see the blood better._ My knees gave out and I slumped forward.

Naraku's clawed fingers appeared in front of my face.

Within them he clasped a small, perfectly black jewel. It looked like a smooth marble.

I focused past his fingers, glimpsing the slow smile that was creeping onto his face. "Thank you, Kagome. You've just made me the most powerful being in the world," Naraku whispered. He stood and stepped out of my sight.

My head lolled back and my vision swam. I couldn't breathe. Blood was pouring out of my side at an alarming rate, and my hand kept slipping from where I was trying to stop the flow.

I didn't understand what had just happened.

There was a deafening noise coming from the crowd, and I faintly realized that everyone was fighting.

"Kagome!"

I turned my head toward the voice that seemed to rise above all else. A figure fought his way through the crowd and bounded on stage. I fell sideways and curled into the fetal position, trying to rid myself of the throbbing pain that was coursing throughout my body. I couldn't breathe.

Naraku had escaped.

My vision slipped, and I closed my eyes, trying to shut myself away from the chaos that was surrounding me.

"Kagome! Stay with me. Keep your eyes open!"

A pair of hands settled on my forehead, and I fought to regain my sight.

_That's right. Gotta fight. _

The person quickly gathered me into his arms, and I gasped reflexively as a new wave of pain ripped through my body. "Come on, Kagome. Don't you dare die."

My head lolled sideways on his shoulder. Opening my eyes was too much trouble, so I just spoke instead. "Inuyasha."

"That's right, Kagome. Keep talking."

I smiled slightly and breathed a small sigh of relief. I was safe.

Despite Inuyasha's instructions I began to relax into the darkness that was dancing on the edge of my consciousness.

After a while I finally gave in and allowed myself to be taken under. I'd lost too much blood, too quickly.

But I wasn't going to die.

I still had an evil bastard to kill.

-End-

* * *

Alright, so I know I mentioned a few chapters back that the beginning of the end had already started. Well…turns out this story still has quite a ways to go.

Stay with me. :D

And please review! The more reviews I get, the quicker I'll update. Deal?

Thanks!

-_RedThread_


	35. The Jewel

Update!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.**

* * *

Chapter 35: The Jewel

-Start—

Pain, pain, pain, pain.

"Breathe, Kagome. You have to breathe."

I drew in a shaky breath, trying to follow orders.

_Pain!_

I couldn't do it. It hurt to breathe. My eyes slit open and I was hit with the impression of lights.

"Damnit, he went through a rib and punctured a lung. We've got to keep her breathing."

The voice was alien to me. A dark shape moved into my line of sight, but I couldn't bring it into focus. My eyes slipped close again and I jerked reflexively as a pair of hands descended onto my chest.

"Stay with me, Kagome."

That voice I recognized.

"Stay with me."

I stayed.

* * *

I blinked up at the ceiling, studying the divided tiles silently. It was an unfamiliar ceiling.

Where was I?

This wasn't the hotel, I was sure. What was going on?

I blinked again and then tried to sit up. A shot of pain lanced through my side and I fell back with a whimper.

"Kagome! Oh, thank God. You're finally awake." I glanced sideways and Sango rushed towards me, an anxious expression on her face. "I've been so worried! You've been unconscious for nearly 48 hours."

I stared at her quietly, trying to gather my thoughts. _I've been out for nearly 48 hours? What happened? _

And then it all came back. The concert. Naraku. His Army. Koga. My injury. The Jewel. Inuyasha's voice. "Where are we Sango?" I croaked. My throat was dry.

"Hold on," she said. "Drink this." She held a small glass of water against my lips and tilted my head so I could drink.

Just as I drained the last drops of liquid, the door opened and a large figure strode into the room. I couldn't tell who he was until he spoke. "So I see you've awoken," Inuyasha's father commented. "That's quite an improvement." He pushed a button on the side of my bed and the mattress began to lift so that I was in a sitting position.

"Thanks," I mumbled, slightly disoriented. Mr. Taisho stared at me carefully, his golden eyes showing only the slightest bit of interest. I stared back, a question forming on my lips. "Can you explain what's going on?"

Normally, I'd strive for politeness; but we'd passed the realm of 'normal' a long time ago. I was hurt, confused, and I wanted some damn answers.

Sango quietly moved away from my bed and sat down in her chair. Mr. Taisho sighed and shifted his gaze toward the window. "The only thing you need to know is when the next flight to Japan departs."

"Is Naraku going back to Japan?" I questioned.

"No."

"Then neither am I."

Mr. Taisho's eyes found mine once more and he glared at me fiercely before speaking in a dangerously low voice. "Naraku is none of your concern, Kagome."

"Naraku is my _only_ concern!" I exploded. I was tired of being kept in the dark, of working in secrecy, shouldering this burden on my own. I wanted to talk about it with someone who knew what they were doing.

"You do not need to get involved in this!"

"I became involved the moment Naraku murdered my father," I replied forcefully. It hurt to yell.

Mr. Taisho studied me silently for a moment, his jaw working as he ground his teeth.

"How much do you know, Kagome?"

"Enough to want Naraku's head on a platter." I looked down at the faded blanket that was thrown over my legs. "I know that he murdered my father. I know that he is building an army, here, in America. And I know that a youkai war is brewing." My eyes shot up, meeting Mr. Taisho's. "I want to join your force. Let me fight."

"It is too dangerous, Kagome. A youkai war is no place for a human girl," Mr. Taisho rumbled.

"So why do you allow Kikyo to fight?" I countered.

He eyed me for a moment and then spoke tightly. "She is special."

"She is a miko." I carefully reached behind my neck, mindful of my limited ability to move, and unfastened my lock necklace, allowing it to fall into my lap. My power gave a start and then flared outward like an invisible wave. His eyes narrowed.

"Let me fight," I bartered softly. "I can defend myself."

"And yet you are lying in a hospital bed."

I frowned. "That's not fair. Naraku took me by surprise. I wasn't expecting him."

Mr. Taisho shook his head and began to turn away. "He's not going to wait for you to line up an attack, Kagome. This is war, and Naraku is the type of man who will resort to anything in order to win. He has no honor, no pride. He will kill you in a second and feel no remorse."

I stubbornly glared at the back of Mr. Taisho's head, willing him to turn around and face me. I knew what kind of man Naraku was. I also knew exactly what I was getting myself into. "I won't go home," I repeated.

He turned to glance at me once more and then continued toward the door. "You have no choice."

I clenched my teeth in anger.

"Well, that went well," Sango said flatly as soon as the door shut.

I turned my attention to her. "Do you have any idea where we are?"

"We're in a regular house," she sighed, crossing her arms. "But I think they treat it like a hospital. All the rooms are set up like this one." Her hand flicked in a gesture that encompassed the entire room and I took a moment really look around. It was small, but definitely set up like a regular hospital room. I noticed that my right arm was attached to a machine that quietly beeped in sync with my heart; my left arm was hooked to an IV. Other equipment surrounded me too, but I had no idea what any of it was for. Sango occupied the only chair.

"We're still in New York?"

"Yeah. Just a little ways outside of the main city."

I grew quiet again and Sango gave me time to think. I was feeling a little sluggish after my quick round of words with Inuyasha's father.

"So," I finally asked, "what happened the other night after I went down?"

Sango frowned, remembering. "From what I could see, Naraku stabbed you, whispered something, and then disappeared. He literally vanished right on the spot." Her brow wrinkled in confusion. "And then everyone started fighting."

"Why?" I wondered.

"Apparently Mr. Taisho had a lot of his people scattered throughout the audience, acting as spies. Their cover was blown when Inuyasha tried to make a break for you."

I closed my eyes, vaguely recalling the shouting and chaos that had ensued just a few feet from my prone body. "Inuyasha saved me, didn't he?"

"He picked you up and got you out of there, yeah, but it was Sesshomaru who saved you."

My eyes flew open. "Sesshomaru?"

"Turns out he's a surgeon," Sango answered. "Naraku fractured a rib and punctured one of your lungs when he stabbed you. Inuyasha managed to get you here, and Miroku and I followed, but after that we were all clueless. You were gasping and starting to leak this weird, bloody froth from your mouth. Thank God Sesshomaru happened to be around."

She grew quiet and stared at me for a minute. "Maybe you should go back to sleep. You look like Hell."

I grinned weakly. "I can always count on you to make me feel better, Sango."

She stood and smiled back. "Hey, what are friends for?" She pressed a button and my bed began to recline back into its original position. "Now get some rest."

"Thanks."

I closed my eyes and tried to clear my mind, still upset about Mr. Taisho's words, but a certain pair of expressionless blue eyes haunted me. _Why? _Pain sliced through my heart and I tightly pressed my lips together in order to keep from crying out. _Why, Koga? How could you possibly be pretending all this time? _Moments from the past two years flew through my head, and unwillingly, things began to click. I traced my way backwards, all the way to the beginning, when Koga and I had first started hanging out.

We'd started out as partners on a stupid project, and then from there Koga had slowly eased his way into my personal life. He'd been there through Plan J, using it as a ruse, I realized, to spend more time with me, isolate me. And then I'd been practically forced into the "band." My first meeting with Naraku flashed brightly through my mind.

_"So…This is her, Koga?"_

I'd been brought in for inspection; Naraku had wanted to see me in person.

"_You know what will happen if you screw up, right?" Naraku warned._

My mind flicked to another memory. Koga and I were in the mall, eating lunch.

_"So what happens if he's disappointed?" _I'd asked.

_Koga turned his head away and stared off into the mass of people that was streaming past our table. "Bad things," he replied cryptically. _

Even then he'd been hiding things; he wouldn't even meet my eyes. Obviously Koga had displeased Naraku at some point in their twisted relationship and been punished. I frowned at the thought and twitched uncomfortably under my blanket.

But what was their relationship? How had Koga gotten involved with such a bad man?

_Does it even matter?_ I thought bitterly. Koga had obviously used me just as much as Naraku. I recalled the autumn night we spent on a Ferris wheel in Kyoto.

_"Kagome…"_

_Koga's hand tightened around my own._

_"You know I'd never hurt you, right?"_

_He continued to stare at me, his eyes searching my own blank ones._

_"Do you like spending time with me?"_

_My head lolled back and forth in a nod. My brain was starting to repair itself, connect the dots, acknowledge what was going on. I forced my mouth to move. "You know I love spending time with you, Koga," I gently pulled my hand from his, "but I can't__let Inuyasha go__."_

_"Then I'll wait."_

_I paused. "Wait?"_

_Koga reached for my hand again. "I'm not going to give up that easily Kagome."_

Right. And that was only because Naraku wasn't going to let him.

"_You know I'd never hurt you right?"_

What a liar.

I swallowed a lump in my throat and prayed that Sango would disregard the sudden frantic beeping of the heart monitor. It hurt to think of Koga's betrayal. It hurt a lot. But it was a mixture of pain and anger. I was well and truly pissed.

If I ever saw Koga again, things were going to end badly.

Now was not the time for me to get upset though. I needed to focus. Thoughts of Koga could be dealt with later, when I felt up to it. My body relaxed and I unconsciously gripped my lock necklace just to be sure it was still there. What I was about to do would drain me, but it'd be well worth it in the end.

I slipped into a trance, activating my miko powers, and began the consuming task of healing myself.

* * *

I awoke the next morning to a new visitor.

"Hello, Kagome."

I stared up at Kikyo tiredly. "Why are you here, Kikyo?"

She smiled down at me. "Don't you want some answers?"

My pulse quickened and I sat up stiffly. A full night of magical healing could do wonders. "Go on."

She sat down in Sango's chair. We were the only two in the room. "I have to say, you've done much better than I expected."

"I aim to please," I said flatly.

Kikyo laughed, a quick burst of sound, and then grew serious once more. "You've changed, Kagome. You've hardened."

"Believe me, I know," I said with downcast eyes. I wasn't sure whether I was proud or ashamed of my recent shift in behavior. "Now start talking." My gaze shot up. "I'm ready for some answers."

Kikyo studied me quietly for a moment, her dark eyes intense and searching. "I almost don't know where to begin," she said, tilting her head. "I guess I should start with the Jewel."

"Is this the same Jewel that Naraku was talking about?"

She nodded. "It's known as the Shikon no Tama. According to legend, the Jewel disappeared during the Feudal Era, around the time of Naraku's death. You know that entire story, right? We talked about it in class a couple of years ago."

"Yeah." I thought back to our field trip in the 11th grade. "Historians also claim that Naraku's death was uncertain."

Kikyo's expression grew harsh. "It's not uncertain. He survived. The Naraku we face today is the same Naraku from 550 years ago."

I stared at her and then finally asked the question. "How do you know?"

"My mother told me," Kikyo exhaled softly, as though it hurt to speak of her mom. "She also told me the _true _story of the Shikon No Tama."

I cocked a brow, not sure whether the word of Kikyo's mother was completely reliable. "So what's the _real_ story of the Shikon no Tama?" I asked critically. I was skeptical of all this, yes, but I was also willing to listen. I too had once made the connection between the Naraku of the past and the Naraku of the present. What if my suspicions turned out to be true and he's somehow survived?

Kikyo sighed again and then drew herself upright. "It's a long, complicating story."

I nodded impatiently and gestured for her to continue.

"50 years ago, a girl by the name of Kagome Higurashi traveled back in time to the Feudal Era."

I must have looked like I was about to interject because Kikyo held her hand up before continuing. "This girl contained the reincarnated soul of the last Keeper of the Jewel, who was a female miko also known as Kikyo."

_Kagome Higurashi? Kikyo? Who were these people? Why do we all have the same names?_

"It was soon discovered that Kagome's body was actually a vessel for the Shikon no Tama. The Jewel had resided quietly within her flesh, completely unnoticed by the girl herself. But the Jewel was uncovered while she was in the Feudal Era, and she immediately became the target of many demons, including an inu-hanyou by the name of Inuyasha."

"Are you kidding me?"

"Just listen," Kikyo said in annoyance. "I'll explain the names later."

"Being from the future where demons lived in secrecy," she continued, "Kagome had no idea how to deal with youkai, much less protect the Jewel. A demon eventually managed to snag the Jewel, and in an attempt to get it back, Kagome accidentally shattered the Shikon no Tama into hundreds of pieces which then scattered all over Japan. This event sparked a race against time and an unlikely alliance between Kagome and Inuyasha as they struggled to rebuild the Jewel before any other demon could do so. Naraku soon became their main competitor, and thus the War of the Feudal Era began."

_This sounds like complete bogus. First off, how can a girl time travel? _ And yet, besides the time traveling girl, Kikyo's story was matching up with the information I'd stumbled upon in the library all those months ago when I was researching mikos. The book I'd read had claimed that Kikyo's reincarnation had showed up 50 years after her death. Could that girl have possibly been Kagome Higurashi?

Kikyo kept talking. "Anyway, it eventually came down to a final battle between Naraku and Kagome's little band of friends. The battle was long, but Kagome was eventually able to secure the fully reformed Jewel, and once she had it, she took it back to the future and safely out of Naraku's clutches."

She paused for a moment, thinking. I waited patiently, interested in the story despite myself.

"That was the last time Kagome was able to travel through time. The well closed behind her for good, severing her connection to her friends in the Feudal Era. Once home, Kagome used her priestess powers to raise a barrier around her house, shielding the presence of the Jewel. She knew it was highly possible that Naraku had managed to survive and could still be searching for the Shikon no Tama in her time as well."

Kikyo's eyes met mine and we stared at each other.

"The barrier lasted for as long as Kagome lived, but the moment she died, her shield disintegrated and the Jewel disappeared once more."

I was starting to get an idea about where this story was headed.

"We think that the moment the shield fell, Naraku sensed Kagome's passing and suspected that the Jewel was going to be relocated into a new body; probably within the next generation of female children born into the Higurashi family following Kagome's death."

I began shaking my head before Kikyo even finished her sentence. "Oh no, I am not the reincarnated version of my Great Aunt Kagome. That's insane."

Kikyo grinned wryly. "So you're catching on."

"This story is ridiculous."

"Naraku took a gamble," Kikyo continued. "You were born the day after your Great Aunt Kagome's death, which immediately made you the most likely candidate for the Jewel." She paused and stared at the floor, not meeting my eyes. "Turns out he got lucky," she said quietly. "The Jewel could have very well been inside of me."

"Wait," I said in confusion. "You just told me that the Jewel would probably relocate inside a female child born within the Higurashi family. How could the Jewel possibly have been inside of you if we aren't even related?"

Kikyo sighed and finally lifted her eyes to meet my own. "We are related, Kagome."

"Explain."

"We share the same father. I'm your half-sister."

-End—

* * *

Say what? Haha. I don't think Kagome saw that coming.

Anyway, this chapter was getting pretty long and I had to split it in two. Which is probably a good thing because that means I'm pretty much done with the next chapter. Hazah! :)

I humbly apologize for taking so long to update. Summer has made me completely and utterly lazy. Also, I was having an extremely hard time figuring out how to write this particular scene. Luckily, I pushed through. I really want to finish this story.

So leave a review, and expect an update by next week!

Thanks!

_-RedThread_


	36. The Secret of Hisoka

See? Told you I'd update in a week. :) Also, thanks to those who reviewed. Glad to see I still have some people reading this thing. :D

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.**

* * *

Chapter 36: The Secret of Hisoka

-Start-

One time, when I was just a little kid, I did a belly flop into a pool at a swim party. The immediate effect was equivalent to that of hitting a slab of concrete. My breath was completely knocked out of my body, and for a couple of moments, I couldn't breathe at all.

It was safe to say I was experiencing a similar result right now. I was too stunned to breathe.

The heart monitor began to hum as my heart rate picked up. "What are you talking about?" I finally questioned. "How could we possibly be sisters?"

"Half- sisters," Kikyo quickly corrected. She stood up and walked toward the window, turning away from me. The morning sun was beginning to slant into the room, creeping across the wall in a bright line. Kikyo stared out at the sky. "My mother was your father's mistress," she confessed in a tight voice. "You and I were born on the exact same day, at the exact same time." She turned back to face me, her expression unreadable. "My mother believed that Kagome's soul split in half and settled into each of us, making us true soul sisters."

I continued to stare at her incredulously. "You expect me to believe this?"

"Kagome. We look exactly alike. We could pass for twins."

"And? That proves absolutely nothing." I refused to even consider the notion that my father had a mistress, much less two illegitimate children. "It's just not possible. And where did your mother come up with all these theories?"

"Listen," Kikyo's face suddenly grew hard. "My father is your father. He'd just left our house and was returning home to yours when he was murdered. My mother knew the second his soul left this earth and it nearly killed her then and there. I will _never_ forgive Naraku for what he did to my mother. She died a few years later from a broken heart. She literally could not survive Dad's death."

I shook my head stubbornly. "What was your father's name?"

"Hisoka Higurashi." She pulled two pictures from her pocket and handed them over to me. "I knew you wouldn't believe me, so I brought these."

I stared down at them. One was a family portrait of my mother, father, brother, and me. We'd taken the picture when I was in the fourth grade. Souta was still tiny and I'd been given the vast responsibility of holding him in my lap for the photo. I was smiling very proudly, feeling grown up. My mother and father were standing close behind us.

I tore my eyes away from the scene and forced myself to look at the second photo.

It was just an ordinary picture, the kind where you have to ask some stranger to take it so you can be in the picture also. A young Kikyo and even younger Kaede smiled back at the camera; just behind them stood a beautiful woman with long, black hair and a soft smile. My father stood next to her, his armed draped over her shoulder, holding her close.

_No way. _I stared closer, noticing the slant of the eyes, the dimple on the left side of his face when he smiled. It was definitely my father.

Anger bubbled up inside of me. _How could he do this to Mama?_ If this picture was legitimate, then it proved that he'd secretly been cheating on Mama for years; making love with another woman, having _children_ with another woman.

I turned my eyes away, looking at the wall, the blanket, the window. Anywhere but the pictures. I couldn't stand it.

"We knew about your family."

I glanced at Kikyo, not quite sure how to react. I was hovering between crying and screaming.

"It didn't bother me to begin with, but as I grew older I started to despise my father and his other family. I hated the fact that he split his time between us, kept our family a secret from his _real_ one."

Well, that certainly explained her immediate hatred towards me when we'd first met nearly 2 years ago. She'd wanted to hurt me any way she could not because of anything I'd done, but simply because of who I was. I was the daughter that lived the life she could never have. I was a part of the _other_ family.

No wonder she'd targeted Inuyasha. What better way to hurt me than to steal away the boy I loved?

Kikyo kept her distance, her eyes burning with intensity as she continued to speak. "My mother loved my father with all her heart, but not once did she try to convince him to leave his wife. She knew what they were doing was wrong, but for some reason she couldn't give him up. Every time he left she seemed to close down a bit, become depressed. It hurt me to see her like that, and I hated him more than anything."

I was beginning to too. My eyes brimmed with angry tears. "Do you know why Naraku killed him?"

Kikyo's eyes flashed at the sudden change in topic. "Our father owed Naraku a debt. He was unable to pay it off in time."

I swiped at my eyes. "What do you mean? What kind of debt?"

"Monetary. Dad wasn't making enough to support two families, so he began to gamble in an underground bar called _Black Miasma _and wound up involved with a shady bunch. Turns out the shady bunch belonged to Naraku, and after several months, when Dad didn't get enough money to pay off the debt..." She slid a finger across her throat.

I flinched. "How do you know all this?"

Kikyo's eyes fell to the floor. "Five years prior to my mother's death, and just after my father's, a man showed up at our house. He claimed to be Mr. Higurashi's lawyer as well as his closest friend, and explained that he was there to settle his will. My mother was in bad condition, and only getting worse. Dad's death hit her hard. She'd been fired from her job and I was struggling to make ends meet; I was only 12 years old at the time. But this lawyer informed us that Dad had left a large sum of money in our name. We would receive a little every month until the money ran out."

"But I thought Dad was struggling with his money. How could he have left any behind?"

"That was my mother's main concern too. She mistrusted this man deeply. And then there was also the fact that he was not truly human, even though he appeared so. This man was a demon; a dog demon."

My eyes widened in understanding. "Mr. Taisho."

Kikyo nodded. "He took care of us for five years. Gave us money from his own accounts, because my father had left us none. And then my mother died."

We sat in silence for a moment as I allowed Kikyo some time to work through her grief and sort her thoughts. My mind was reviewing everything she'd revealed to me so far. I struggled to find evidence of my father's unfaithfulness. Now that I thought about it though, I could remember him taking a lot of business trips to Kyoto. Most of them seemed to last an entire weekend. And then there were all the nights he would come home well after I'd gone to bed. My mother always waited up for him, keeping his dinner warm.

God. Surely she'd suspected something. How had he gotten away with it for so long?

"Your mother sent me this letter the day before she passed away," a voice rumbled from the doorway. Mine and Kikyo's eyes flicked over to Mr. Taisho in surprise. Neither of us had sensed his approach.

Kikyo stood and took the envelope from him, quickly pulling the letter out. Her eyes darted across the page and grew bright with tears. "So that's how you knew to come get us," she whispered.

I stared at her curiously. "Do you mind if I read it?" She handed the letter over without a word.

_Lord Taisho, _

_By the time you receive this, I will most likely be dead. My health has waned drastically since the last time you came to visit me, and I fear that if I am not dead already, I soon will be. _

_For five years, Lord Taisho, you have sent my family money, money from your own pocket, and for that, I thank you. It is because of this immense kindness you have shown that I have decided to trust you, even though you are a demon._

_Yes, I know that you are a demon. It is nearly impossible for a youkai of your magnitude to hide his aura from a well trained miko's eye, even with a Human Ring. The moment you stepped through my doorway, I'd decided not to give you any information regarding Hisoka. _

_You claimed to be Hisoka's best friend, and though I doubted you, I now know that you were telling the truth. You have the presence of a strong demon, but your aura does not match the darkness of the one that so often clung to Hisoka._

_For years I have held the belief that he was murdered, and to this day, I still do. I believe that he got involved with a dark demon, the kind that kills without a second thought. The only clue I have that might prove my theory correct is a name. Surely you can make use of it. You are an honorable man, and I know you will not let your friend's death go unavenged. _

_I have but one favor to ask of you, Lord Taisho, in exchange for this dark demon's name. _

_When I die, my two daughters will have no place to go; Kikyo cannot legally live alone, much less with a younger sibling, and all of my relations are dead. If you were truly Hisoka's good friend, then you know that he had a wife. This is my last wish: Please take my children to this woman. _

_That is all I ask._

_I have told my oldest daughter the name of the demon. She will not reveal the name until she and her sister have arrived on the steps of the Higurashi shrine. _

_-Midoriko_

_P.S-Kikyo has inherited my priestess powers. If you attempt to harm her or Kaede in any way, she **will** purify you. I have taught her well. Do not underestimate her. _

I lifted my eyes to Kikyo. "You never showed up."

Kikyo raised her chin. "I refused to go anywhere until Mr. Taisho explained who he was, and what was going on."

"And the moment I mentioned the name Higurashi, she shut down," Mr. Taisho revealed, pushing off the door and moving into the room. "We finally struck a deal, hours later. Kikyo promised to disclose the demon's name only if she and Kaede could have an apartment to themselves and only if she could participate in the investigation."

An apartment in the Tokyo slums made perfect sense then. A teenager could definitely get away with living alone as long as she paid her rent every month.

"So all of this happened just before you enrolled in our high school?" I asked Kikyo.

She nodded.

I glanced at the imposing dog demon that stood at the end of my bed. "And when did Inuyasha get involved?"

"Around the time Kikyo showed up," he answered stoically.

I breathed heavily.

"I swore both Inuyasha and Kikyo to secrecy," Mr. Taisho explained, "and then ordered my son to break off his friendship with you. If he was going to get involved with Naraku, then he needed to stay away from you and your family. It was a form of protection."

Right. I'd figured that out a while ago.

"Of course," he growled, "this proved futile in the long run. Kikyo withheld a very important bit of information from us."

"I did what I could to protect her!" Kikyo lashed out. "I even put a shielding spell on that necklace," she said, pointing to the lock necklace that sat on my bedside table. "Naraku had his eye on her long before I came into the picture. He already knew who she was."

"This is about the Shikon no Tama, isn't it?"

Inuyasha's father sighed and crossed his arms. "What do you know about the Jewel, Kagome?"

"Only what Kikyo has told me," I answered before shifting my gaze to her. "How did your mother know so much about it?"

"She had a diary. It belonged to Great Aunt Kagome. I think Dad gave it to her without even realizing how important it was."

I tried to acclimate myself with the way Kikyo referred to my—our—family members. My family was her family. That meant I had not one, but two new sisters. Kaede was only a few years younger than Souta. Where was she in all this mess?

"Kagome," Mr. Taisho pulled me from my thoughts. "Can you remember what color the Shikon no Tama was when Naraku removed it from your body?"

"Black," I said without hesitation. "Completely black."

"Damn," he cursed softly.

"What color is it supposed to be?"

"It's supposed to be pink," Kikyo answered lowly. "The fact that it's black means that it's tainted." She put a finger to her lip in concentration. "Just another part of Naraku's plan."

Mr. Taisho's golden eyes flicked to her face. "He tainted it?"

Kikyo slowly shook her head. "Kagome did."

I jerked defensively. "I didn't even know the thing was inside of me! How could I have tainted it?"

"Your strong feelings for the wolf demon shifted dramatically that night, didn't they?"

I blushed at the mention of Koga, not really wanting to discuss my screwed up love life with Kikyo and Inuyasha's father.

"You felt angry, betrayed, confused, empty," Kikyo listed, her black eyes boring into mine. "Combine those negative emotions and you've got one tainted Shikon no Tama."

I flashed back to that night, remembering the flurry of emotion and the shocking emptiness inside of me. My heart and mind couldn't keep up with everything Naraku had been telling me. Anger was the only clear emotion I could recall.

I stared at Kikyo without blinking. "Naraku said that I'd made him the most powerful person in the world," I whispered, remembering his words. The strength of the Shikon no Tama was legendary. Naraku could theoretically wreck havoc across the entire planet if he truly wished. I could feel my panic rising.

"You almost did."

"But he has the Shikon no Tama," I said harshly. "How did I not?"

Mr. Taisho reached into his shirt and pulled out a small bottle that was attached to a chain around his neck. A tiny black shard glowed within the container. I shivered from the dark aura it emitted. "He didn't get the entire Jewel."

"How? Where did that come from?" I breathed.

"When Sesshomaru got to you, he immediately knew that something was off. He could faintly detect a darkness coming from within your body. He was able stabilize you until Kikyo arrived, and then she was able to see and remove the Jewel fragment." Mr. Taisho and Kikyo locked eyes. "We think that maybe Naraku fractured the Jewel when he attempted to pull it from you."

I shook my head, knowing exactly what had happened. "It wasn't Naraku."

"Then how?" Kiyko questioned. "Who?"

"Inuyasha."

The demon and miko froze, confusion written on their faces.

"Remember the female wolf demon that helped you a couple of weeks ago? When you and Inuyasha were completely ambushed?"

Kikyo gasped softly as the truth hit her. "That was you, wasn't it? Now it all makes sense. Inuyasha and I couldn't understand how a youkai was able use spiritual powers. You must have slipped the lock necklace on after the fight so we couldn't sense your powers."

Mr. Taisho growled. "You were in the middle of a fight, Kagome?".

"I was in my demon form. I've been training for the past year. I was completely fine. Even after Inuyasha stabbed me."

"He _stabbed _you?"

I held my hand over my bandaged torso. "In the same exact place as Naraku. He must have accidentally chipped the Jewel and caused a piece to splinter off."

Mr. Taisho carefully studied the Jewel fragment in his hand. "That idiot may have inadvertently saved the entire world," he murmured quietly.

We all sat in silence for a while, pondering over this new revelation. "So what do we do now?" I finally asked.

Mr. Taisho stared at me cautiously, and then sighed. "You're not going to let me send you home are you?"

A slow smile spread across my face. "Never."

He sighed and replaced the Jewel within his shirt. "I thought as much." His gaze slid to Kikyo. "You told her everything?"

She nodded. "She knows as much as we do."

"Then I'll be on my way. Organizing an army takes a lot of time, and even though Naraku doesn't have the entire Jewel, he still has most of it. We're going to have to change our strategy." Inuyasha's father left the room and I found that I could breathe easier without the black presence of the Jewel shard pressing on me.

Kikyo stood and began to make her way toward the door too.

"Thank you," I said.

She paused and turned to face me, a brow arched in question. "For what?"

"The truth. I'm sorry for what my father—our father—did to both of our families. It wasn't fair. But I don't hate _you_ because of _his_ actions. I just wanted to let you know."

"I'm sorry too," she said, bowing her head. "I shouldn't have treated you the way I did. I was upset and frustrated and jealous and I centered all of that on you and your family. It wasn't right. Especially the way I came between you and Inuyasha."

"I know," I said unkindly. "But it certainly made his job easier in the end. Cutting off his ties with me, I mean."

"No," Kikyo said as she walked through the door. "It didn't."

I sat in silence for a moment, confused by her response.

"Do you know where he is?" I called after her.

She sighed and halted again. "I'm not sure, Kagome. But I don't think he wants to see you."

-End-

I'm going to go ahead and map out a family tree for both Kagome's and Inuyasha's families just to clear up any confusion.

**Higurashi**

Great Aunt Kagome Higurashi (Kagome from the show)**(dead)** and Grandpa Souta (Souta from the show)**(alive)** are brother and sister.

Great Aunt Kagome never married nor had children. Grandpa Souta married and had one son: Hisoka Higurashi **(dead)**.

Hisoka Higurashi married and had a daughter (Kagome Higurashi, named after her Great Aunt)**(alive)** and son (Souta Higurashi, named after his Grandfather)**(alive)** with his wife **(alive)**.

Hisoka Higurashi also met and had two children with Midoriko Hinode **(dead)**. Their two daughters are named Kikyo Hinode **(alive) **and Kaede Hinode **(alive)**.

**Taisho**

In order to preserve the demon line, Sesshomaru (from the show)**(alive)** mated with a female Inu-youkai and had one son, Ren Taisho (Mr. Taisho)**(alive).**

Mr. Taisho also mated with a female inu-youkai and had one son, who is named Sesshomaru **(alive)** after his father.

Mr. Taisho later met and fell in love with Izayoi Azumi (a human)**(alive) **and together they had one son, Inuyasha **(alive)**. Their inu-hanyou son is named after his Great Uncle Inuyasha **(Dead? Alive?)**.

If you still have any questions about certain details, feel free leave a review or personal message. I'd be glad to answer any of your concerns. J

Hope you guys are enjoying the story so far!

Thanks!

-_RedThread_


	37. Hi, Boys

This has got to be the quickest series of updates I've ever done, huh? 3 chapters within 3 weeks. A new record. Lol. Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.**

* * *

Chapter 37: Hi, Boys

-Start—

I was fully recovered by the end of the week. At least physically. My emotional and mental well-being was still on the mend. Miroku and Sango stopped by often enough to keep my spirits up, but there were moments when I couldn't help but fall into depression.

The loss of Koga, my father's secrets, Inuyasha's purposeful absence, Naraku's disappearance; I couldn't seem to clear my mind of these men. I was constantly lulled into a sinister realm of nightmares and monsters. Sometimes I would wake up in the middle of the night with tears streaming down my face, heart pounding, chest heaving as I gasped for breath. It took me at least 10 minutes afterward to convince myself that I was safe when these episodes occurred.

And they occurred far too often for my liking. Sleep was becoming all too rare for me.

When Sesshomaru finally consented to my discharge, I was more than happy to leave. I needed a change, a diversion, something to get me out of this melancholic funk.

Besides, Mr. Taisho had decided that it was time I visited Headquarters. A room was being prepared for my arrival, and Sango and Miroku were already there waiting for me.

Inuyasha's father had sent somebody to retrieve my bag from the hotel a couple days ago, and I'd just finished changing into a pair of loose fitting sweats and an overly large T-shirt when six, black-clad men filed into my room, unannounced.

"What is going on?" I asked in annoyance, settling into a defensive posture. "Who are you?" They all stared back at me with the same blank expression.

"Calm down. We're here to escort you to headquarters," a masculine voice finally answered. The men shifted and a seventh person entered the room.

I straightened, relaxing slightly. "Bankotsu?"

He grinned. "What's up?"

"You too?" I questioned incredulously. "Was I the only one completely oblivious to Naraku?"

He shrugged. "When did you find out?"

"The day I danced with you at the Taisho Christmas Party."

He cocked his head, remembering. "Oh, yeah. We had a huge meeting that night." His eyes narrowed mischievously. "Did a little eavesdropping, huh?"

I stared at him innocently. "Who me?"

Bankotsu laughed and I found that I enjoyed the sound. I hadn't heard that kind of laughter in days. "Come on," he said. "We're walking to Headquarters. Let's get a move on."

I grabbed my duffel bag and followed him through the doorway, his six comrades filing after us. Of them all, Bankotsu was the only one not dressed in black. He had on a regular white T-shirt and dark shorts; he settled a pair of sunglasses onto the bridge of his nose as we exited the building into the sunlight.

"Why do I need so many escorts?" I questioned as the guys behind us began to fan out.

A couple of beats of silence passed before Bankotsu answered. "Think about it, Kagome."

I frowned and contemplated his response for a moment before the truth hit me. Of course. By now Naraku had probably noticed that the Shikon no Tama was missing a piece. Which put me as his number one target. _Again._

"He's still after me, isn't he? He thinks I have the missing piece."

Bankotsu stuck his hands into his pockets and nodded almost imperceptibly. "Keep your guard up. He could be anywhere, and he'll be even more desperate this time."

It was hard to believe that Naraku was out to get me as Bankotsu and I strolled through the sunlight on a perfectly delightful day. I fingered my lock necklace, and decided that it'd probably be in my best interest to wear it 24/7. It couldn't hide my identity, but it would slow down anyone trying to track me through my aura.

I hated to think that one of Naraku's minions could be stalking me right this second. I glanced over my shoulder at the thought and noticed that all of the black-clad men had vanished.

"They're still around," Bankotsu said, noticing my puzzled expression. "We're covered in all directions."

"What, are you guys some sort of elite bodyguard team?"

Bankotsu snorted. "Something like that, yeah. We've all got our own special talents though. Living on the streets does that."

I looked at him sharply. "I thought your Dad was well off."

"He is. But I still spend a lot of time on the streets. The underground world is…more fun."

I shook my head in a patronizing way, a small grin lighting my face. "Whatever you say."

It took us twenty minutes more of steady walking to reach our destination. I stared up at the large skyscraper in front of us. We'd travelled back into the city.

"Here we are," Bankotsu said with a wave of his hand. "Follow me."

We stepped through the sliding glass doors and entered a lobby, complete with receptionist and all. The woman at the desk was youkai, and she didn't wear a Ring to hide it. Bankotsu waved at her and she nodded, pressing something behind the desk. A door swung open, and Bankotsu led me through until we reached a second door. He placed his hand on a scanner and waited for a moment as the machine read his hand print.

"Good Lord," I commented. "Does this place have enough security?"

The door slid open. "It's easy for us to plant a spy in Naraku's ranks. What's to keep him from doing the same?" Bankotsu responded mildly. "You can never be too careful, Kagome."

I followed him to an elevator in silence, feeling stupid. What a dumb question to ask.

Once we were on the elevator, he swiped a card and pressed the fifth button, and we quickly began to ascend. "You have to have a card to get to the upper floors," Bankotsu explained. "I'm sure Mr. Taisho will have one ready for you soon."

Right. Another measure of security.

When the doors sprung open Miroku and Sango were waiting. They stood from their seats, and I rushed forward to meet them.

"Kagome! You made it!" Sango greeted. She enveloped me in her arms and hugged me tightly. I squeezed back, truly glad to see her.

"I'll see you later, Kagome." I turned from Sango's embrace and nodded to Bankotsu.

"Thanks for getting me here."

"No problem," he grinned. The elevator doors closed and he disappeared.

* * *

"So this is your room," Sango said excitedly. The entire fifth floor had been converted into living quarters, but the rooms were small and close together. Mine was painted a light blue and had a single window on the far wall. A twin bed occupied most of the space on the left and a dresser was situated to the right. Living room was minimal. A keycard was waiting for me on my pillow.

"And the bathroom is right down the hall," Sango continued. "My room is right next to yours too, so if you need me, I'm close by."

I smiled at her and sat my bag down on my bed. "Thanks. I'm glad I'm finally here."

"Me too." Sango helped me put away the few clothes I had and then proceeded to take me on the "Grand Tour."

"The cafeteria is on the floor below us and there is a gym on the 16th floor." We navigated to each and I was thoroughly impressed with both. Demons were milling about everywhere, talking, drinking, working out. This building had a lot of space.

"How many people are living here?" I asked as we walked through another lobby type room that was filled with youkai.

Sango shrugged. "A lot. Floors 5-15 are also living quarters, and there are about 35 rooms on each."

I did the math. That meant that around 350 people were living here. "What's on the other floors?" I'd noticed that the buttons on the elevator went up to 30.

"Floor 17 is a library, Floor 18 is a game room, and Floor 19 is a training facility. And let me tell you, it's got some pretty cool weapons," Sango gushed. "I've been training a lot since you've been recovering. I don't think the danger of this war really registered until I saw Naraku attack you. It kind of scared me," she admitted.

"Yeah. Things have finally gotten serious, huh?"

We both grew solemn as we made our way back to our rooms on the fifth floor. When we finally arrived, I opened my door with the card I'd been given and Sango followed me in.

"So," she started hesitantly. "How have you been dealing with the whole Koga thing?"

I stared at the floor. "To tell the truth, it's been hard." I could feel her eyes on me and I knew they were full of pity. I glanced up and offered a weak smile. "I'll manage. I'm pretty experienced when it comes to heartbreak, you know."

"I'm so sorry, Kagome."

I waved my hand dismissively and changed the subject. "Listen to this. You're not going to believe what I'm about to tell you."

We sat for the next two hours discussing Kikyo and everything she'd revealed. Sango was as shocked as I'd been. I dragged out the pictures Kikyo had given me and let Sango compare them. She came to the same conclusion as I; my father was indeed in both.

"That's crazy!" she exclaimed. "I totally called it the moment she walked into the lunchroom…Remember? I said you guys looked like twins. God, who knew I was right?"

I shook my head and grinned. "The weird part is, I don't really hate her now. I mean, yeah, I'm still pissed about how she stole Inuyasha away, but now that I think about it, I don't think they were ever truly together. It was just an act for both of them."

"So you and her have entered some kind of weird alliance?"

"Yeah. I mean, we have the same goal, right? Might as well be civil to each other."

Sango and I talked for a while longer and then she glanced down at her watch. "Well," she started, "you look beat. I'll give you some time to chill. You've probably got a lot on your mind, huh?"

I nodded tiredly and Sango laughed softly as she headed for the door. "I'll come and get you when it's time for dinner. Have a nice nap."

"I will."

The moment the door shut, I was up and moving, pulling my hair back, changing my clothes into an outfit that was more conspicuous. I had no intention of going to sleep. I'd been locked up in a hospital house for a whole week. I was ready to do a little exploring of my own.

* * *

I waited about 15 minutes before cracking my door open and peeking down the hallway. A couple of people were talking down on the far end, but there was no sign of Sango. I breathed a sigh of relief and took off for the elevator, trying to seem casual.

Luckily, the elevator showed up without any additional passengers. I stepped on and quickly pressed the door close button, glad that I had the elevator all to myself. My eyes immediately darted to the floor buttons. Sango had explained that levels 1-4 were ordinary offices, a sort of disguise for any humans that came in and began asking questions about what kind of company we were.

But she hadn't mentioned anything about floors 20-30. Which meant they were probably off limits.

I smirked and swiped my card, jabbing the 20 button.

The elevator took off in one smooth motion and within seconds I was stepping into another lobby. The room was completely empty with the exception of a door on the wall directly in front of me. I slowly approached, half expecting somebody to come out of nowhere and yell at me for being here. But nobody appeared, and I kept walking.

The moment I reached the door I knew it was keycard activated. I slid my card into the machine and waited, but nothing happened.

_Damn. This isn't going to be fun if I can't get past this door._

I tried my card 3 more times, and received the same results. My hands settled on my hips and I carefully studied the edges of the doorway, feeling a little panicky; it was probably only a matter of time before somebody stepped off the elevator and found me. If worse came to worse, I could claim I was lost. And look like a total idiot.

_Okay… Desperate times, call for desperate measures._

I yanked my lock necklace off and stored it in my pocket before closing my eyes in concentration, bringing my powers into focus. I moved forward, eyes still closed, and placed my palms to the door.

This probably wouldn't work. But I figured it was worth a try. Nothing ventured, nothing gained and all that. I clenched my teeth and gave the barest of pushes with my hands, charging the door with my power. A tiny click met my ears and I opened my eyes, hoping I hadn't used too much force.

Everything looked as it should.

I pushed the door a little harder and it swung open on silent hinges. I'd managed to pop the lock, but not break it. Nobody would know I'd even been here.

A wicked grin crept onto my face and I stepped forward into the hallway.

* * *

The first thing I noticed was the lack of people.

I walked down the empty hallway slowly, listening to the overly loud echo of my footsteps and trying not to get jumpy. This was weird. The long passage was completely white and devoid of any decoration; no paintings, no photos, no color. There were also no windows.

I finally reached another door -much to my relief- and, after forcing the lock in the same fashion as earlier, I let myself into the room beyond.

_Oh._

No wonder there weren't droves of people wandering around.

Floor number 20 was a warehouse.

And it was full of weapons.

My eyes took in the entire room, from the crates lining the walls, to the tables laden down with all manner of paraphernalia. Much to my relief, this room had windows, and the natural light slanting into the room did a lot to calm my suddenly sensitive nerves.

For a moment, I only stared at the objects resting a few feet away on the tabletops, my mind racing as fast as my heartbeat, and then I took a hesitant step closer. My footsteps rang loud and jarringly clear in the quiet room, a stern reminder that I was trespassing in a place that was very much off limits.

But I managed to make it to the table without any sort of hindrance.

It'd never really crossed my mind that modern weaponry, such as _guns, _would be used in this war. From my lessons with Rea I'd learned that bullets didn't really have an effect on youkai. Sure it slowed them down, and probably stung a little, but it would take a lot more than a single bullet to the heart to put a demon down. And planting more than one bullet into a demon's heart was probably not an easy feat.

So why did Mr. Taisho have such a large stock?

I reached out and traced the outline of a small handgun, not trusting myself to pick it up. I didn't know anything about guns, much less how to shoot one. How embarrassing would it be to accidentally injure myself because I was feeling curious? But my eyes lingered on the trigger and I imagined what it would feel like to have the weapon in my hand, finger poised and ready, aim locked on my enemy.

I shivered at the thought.

_Just don't even go there, Kagome._

The idea was too tempting, and that unsettled me a little.

My gaze travelled along the table and landed on an open case of bullets. I moved forward and stared down at them before lifting a single bullet and studying it inquisitively. Maybe they were specially made and more effective against youkai.

But I wasn't an expert, so I couldn't tell.

I replaced the little shell back into its slot and then moved toward the doorway, deciding that the hushed air was beginning to make me uncomfortable. That and all the deadly weapons lining the walls.

I shut the door as quietly as possible, and listened for the faint click that told me the lock had reset itself, before heading back to the elevator.

I think I'd seen enough of the 20th floor.

* * *

Somehow I managed to snag another empty elevator, and I stood within the tiny enclosed space gratefully. This time I swiped my card and pressed a random number. My stomach lurched as the elevator shot upward.

Hopefully the twenty-fifth would be better than the twentieth.

A small _ding_ preceded my arrival, and when I stepped off the elevator I found myself in another lobby, just like the last. I held my breath as I approached the door and activated my powers. 30 seconds later I was standing on the other side of the doorway with a smug grin on my face.

This new little trick was coming in handy.

I started down the hallway at a steady pace, eager to see what this floor contained. I peered through a slender window that occupied the first door I encountered, wondering at the small white room that lay beyond. I stepped away in confusion, not even bothering to go in, and kept walking. I glanced into the next room, and the next. None of them contained anything but a small cot which jutted from the wall at waist height.

And then it hit me.

These were cells. Prison cells.

The moment I realized this, I heard voices. My spine straightened and my shoulders stiffened as I prepared for flight, but the sound of the voices never grew closer. They seemed to be muffled, as though they were coming from a long distance.

My eyes immediately darted toward the end of the hall and the last few doors.

_A prisoner?_

I began to move forward before the rational part of my mind could tell me to proceed in the opposite direction.

My curiosity would probably be the death of me.

The voices rose and fell in pitch and I pinpointed them to the last holding cell. My heart rate accelerated as I approached the thin window, and a rush of adrenaline shot through my veins as a loud thud vibrated through the wall seconds before I peeked through the glass.

I stared for a moment, and then froze when I realized what was happening. I don't know what I'd been expecting, but it wasn't this. Definitely not.

Inuyasha had Koga shoved against a wall, his forearm pressed against the wolf demon's throat. They were head to head, snarling faces inches apart, fangs glinting threateningly. Inuyasha's lips began to move in speech and I could faintly detect a low growl beginning to resonate deep within Koga's chest.

From where I stood I could tell that Inuyasha's red T-shirt was slightly ripped and see that his hair was in a state of dishevelment. He and Koga had probably been at it for a while, and the wolf demon didn't look much better than the hanyou. His hair had fallen from its usual ponytail and his clothes sported claw marks also.

Neither of them had registered my presence yet, and without thinking, I pressed my hands to the door and _pushed._ The metal exploded inward from the force of my power and bits of sheetrock and debris flew everywhere, raising a small cloud of dust. The crumpled door fell with a resounding bang.

The dog hanyou and wolf demon broke their intense eye lock for a moment to stare at the doorway in surprise.

I planted my hands on my hips and directed a dark glare into the room. "Hi, boys," I said menacingly.

A minute of stunned silence passed, allowing the dust from the mini explosion to settle, before somebody finally spoke.

"Kagome," Koga rasped.

I ignored him and moved forward. "Let go of him, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha's tawny eyes locked with mine. "How did you get up here, Kagome?" His arm was still pinning Koga to the wall.

"Inuyasha," I said in a dangerously low voice. "Let. Go. Of. Him."

The dog hanyou stared at me in defiance and I narrowed my eyes, allowing my power to flare. He shifted his gaze back to Koga and growled warningly. "Don't even _think_ of escape," he hissed as he slowly removed his arm and stepped away.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Koga mumbled mockingly, rubbing his throat to ease his breathing.

The moment Inuyasha moved, I stepped forward, taking his place in front of the wolf youkai. I stared up into Koga's blue eyes and he looked down into my own darker ones, expression neutral. The wolf demon opened his mouth to speak and, before he could utter a word, my hand shot forward.

I slapped him. Hard.

His head whipped to the side with the force of the blow, but he didn't make a sound. The only noise in the room was my ragged breathing.

"I suppose I deserved that," he mumbled, raising a hand to touch his stinging cheek.

I only glared at him in silence, my eyes burning with betrayal.

He glanced away.

I grabbed his shirt and hauled him closer, putting my face in his, forcing him to look at me. "You're about to tell me everything you know, Koga. And if you don't, I'm going to do much more than slap you." He didn't resist when I yanked him around and forced him to sit on the cot hanging from the wall.

"And you," I said whirling to face Inuyasha, "you're not going anywhere either." His ears twitched in irritation and he looked as though he would argue, but I cut him off before he could even begin. "Sit," I ordered, pointing toward the cot.

There must have been something in my voice, because Inuyasha muttered under his breath and then reluctantly moved toward the mattress. Koga, on the other hand, flinched at my command, and braced himself as though he expected the ground to explode. He didn't relax until Inuyasha had lowered himself onto the cot, which I found weird given their previous display of behavior. I'd expected the tension level to shoot up with the closer proximity, not level out.

Whatever.

When they were both seated, I crossed my arms and stared down at them both, a frown on my face. I was so pissed I didn't even know where to begin. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, allowing my power to ebb and flow with my breathing. "Alright, Koga," I finally said in a tightly controlled voice. "Start talking."

"I'm glad you're okay, Kagome."

"_Koga_," I snapped in warning. I was in no mood to discuss what he'd done to me.

He sighed and stared at the floor in surrender. "What do you want to know?"

"How about we start with Naraku?"

Koga shifted uncomfortably under my sharp gaze and pushed clawed fingers through his untidy hair in a nervous gesture. A part of me stirred at this action, a part of me that I thought had been destroyed. By all rights and means, I should hate Koga for what he'd done to me - and I did - but for some reason a little piece of me still felt relieved that he was sitting only two feet away, alive and well. I had no control over this involuntarily reaction, it came to me just like breathing; it was an automatic reflex. Koga was safe, I was happy. Cause and effect.

I shook my head and forced myself to focus on what the wolf demon was saying instead of the emotions he was stirring within me.

"A long time ago," Koga began, "I was known as the Prince of Wolves."

Inuyasha snorted and leaned back, placing his hands behind his head. "Right."

Koga glanced at him from the corner of his eye and laughed bitterly, a sharp sound that echoed in the small room. "You sure are cocky for such a young pup. Your Great Uncle was too, and look where that got him."

Inuyasha frowned as though he was trying to decide whether or not he'd been insulted. "What are you talking about?" he finally questioned. "You aren't any older than Kagome or I. We grew up together, Koga."

The wolf demon shook his head. "You only _think_ we did. Can you actually recall a memory of me before high school?"

Inuyasha frowned and I cocked my head, struggling to remember Koga in middle school. I drew a blank. Nothing. Elementary school? Nope. I was drawing a blank there too. "But you knew about my "boyfriend" from kindergarten," I said, suddenly recalling a conversation we'd had years ago as Koga and I had walked to the movie theater for our 'Triple Date'.

The wolf demon's cobalt eyes bored into mine, and I saw something dangerous slip behind his gaze; something ancient. "I've been watching you since you were born, Kagome. Since before you even existed. I know everything there is to know about you; your habits, your likes, your dislikes, your friends, family, love interests. I saw you take your first step, read your first book, make your first friend. I know what kind of foods you like, which colors you prefer, and how, when you're home alone, you sing at the top of your lungs, just because you can."

My eyes widened and a blush began to creep up my neck.

"I know that you like to cook, but aren't very good at it, that your favorite place to sit on a sunny day is on the sixty-seventh shrine step, and how you absolutely detest doing housework. One time you wore everything in your closet before you consented to doing laundry."

"Okay, I get the point," I hissed through gritted teeth. "You've _stalked_ me for most of my life. Get on with the story." God, I was embarrassed.

His expression shifted and he continued to talk. "I've studied you for 19 years, and this entire time I've had to force myself not to get too attached, not to feel anything for you."

I swallowed painfully, knowing that for at least one of those years he'd pretended to date me. "Why, Koga?"

Staring into his eyes was like staring into the depths of the ocean; I could feel myself starting to drown and there was nothing I could do to escape it. "Because more than anything," he said steadily, eyes locked with mine, "I wanted my freedom. And in order to get that, I had to give you up to Naraku."

There it was. The confession I'd been waiting for. His love for me had never been more than an act. I'd been used as a pawn, an essential piece to his strategy; even though I was the sacrifice, he was willing to make it in order to save himself and gain his freedom. Whatever that meant.

My eyes closed against the pain and my nostrils flared as I inhaled. I was forced to regulate my breathing again.

Inuyasha made a disgusted noise and shifted the topic. "So how old are you really?" he demanded.

Koga bowed his head, and I could feel the heat of his gaze lift from my face; he had to know the weight of his words and what they meant to me. I opened my eyes, but couldn't see his expression. "I think I'm around 580 years old," he said softly. "And for about 560 of those years, I've been bound to Naraku."

"And how did that happen?" Inuyasha questioned, golden orbs trained on Koga. "Being bound to Naraku, I mean?"

"You have no idea how many times I've asked myself that same question," Koga replied in a sudden burst of sound. His fists opened and closed in contained frustration. "One moment, I'm standing on the battlefield and Naraku is dead, the next I'm running as fast as I can through a forest, unable to control my own body. I could feel and think and see, but I couldn't _control_ anything." His head snapped up and he glanced between me and Inuyasha, as though searching for our reaction. "I was being moved like a puppet. Some dark force had invaded my mind and was forcing me to _run."_

_Dark force?_

"Naraku," Inuyasha growled.

Koga nodded. "Yeah. That bastard was able to survive the final battle by using _me. _I don't know how, but his soul was able to push mine aside, and as a result, I was no longer in control of my own body."

The wolf demon's eyes had gone glassy as he relived the past. "We stayed that way for months, and when he finally released me in favor of a new victim, we were irrevocably bound. He left a tiny mark on my skin, and that was how he was able to threaten me into submission. I had no choice but to do as he asked, or my life was forfeit. I'd seen what he'd done to others who were marked, and it wasn't something I wanted to experience."

My eyes widened, and my speech returned as I remembered something. "So that _was_ a spider tattoo behind your ear!" Before I could stop myself I reached forward and grabbed Koga's head, tilting it sideways. I checked behind both ears and then frowned. "It's gone…"

Koga pulled his head from my grasp and stared up at me seriously. "The mark vanished because I was able to complete my mission. In order to gain my freedom, I had to give Naraku the one thing he wanted most."

We were all quiet for a moment as his words hung in the air, filling the silence with their weight. "And that was the Shikon no Tama, wasn't it?" I finally asked.

Koga stared at me, the answer in his eyes.

Inuyasha scoffed and leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees. "So good job. You've managed to make Naraku the most powerful being in the world. Hope you're fucking proud."

A low growl rumbled in Koga's throat and he began to bow up, his cerulean gaze shifting to the dog hanyou on his left. "He would have gotten it with or without me. This is not my fault."

"It is your fault!" Inuyasha rallied. "You could have told us that Kagome needed protection! We could've kept her _and_ the Jewel safe! Did you ever think of that? Huh?"

"Were you listening to anything I just said? Naraku had control of my _life. _ If I so much as_ breathed_ a word about the Shikon no Tama, I would have been killed."

"So what?" Inuyasha snarled. "Now that Naraku has the Jewel, we're all going to die."

I stared at the arguing males in front of me, suddenly growing tired with the weight of everything that was happening. "Guys," I said in an effort to grab their attention. They ignored me and continued to bicker, the volume of their voices escalating rapidly.

I clenched my teeth and balled my fists. "Look…," I said, voice rising.

"Such a fucking coward…"

"…you don't know anything. You've been around for a measly 19 years, and you're more stupid than your damn ancestor…"

"What is that supposed to mean? Are you bad-talking my family?"

"Yeah. What are you going to do about it?"

By now Koga and Inuyasha were on their feet, and the tension in the air was thick enough to cut. I could sense that Inuyasha was only seconds away from jumping the wolf demon, and I was sick of being ignored. I finally lost it.

"Both of you shut the hell up and listen to me!"

Electric blue and flaming gold both turned to me in fury, but I took it all in stride, meeting their eyes head on with a glare of my own.

"Naraku doesn't have the entire Jewel," I said in a surprisingly level voice.

It took a moment for my words to register.

"What?"

"Huh?"

"Naraku doesn't have the entire Jewel."

I told them about the tiny shard that had been nicked off, but didn't reveal where it was being kept or how it had been separated from the Jewel. Neither bothered to ask anyway.

Inuyasha was rubbing his chin thoughtfully and Koga was pacing the room.

"This is the best thing we could've asked for," he murmured. "Naraku will still be powerful, but now we may stand a chance."

Inuyasha made a noise. "What do you mean _'we'_? You're a prisoner of war, not a new recruit."

I ignored Inuyasha's comment and asked Koga a question that had been pressing on my mind since he'd told his story. "You've battled Naraku before, and he almost died. So you must know how to defeat him, right?"

Koga stilled and stared at the wall in thought. "I don't know how to kill him for good, but I know someone who might."

Inuyasha's ears perked in question and I prompted Koga to tell us. "And that would be?"

He lifted his eyes and glanced between us before settling his gaze on Inuyasha. "We have to talk to your Great Uncle."

The hanyou's brow furrowed in confusion. "My Great Uncle is dead."

Koga shook his head and began pacing and talking at the same time. "He's not dead. I saw him a few years ago. In fact, we all did."

"Koga," I sighed. "What are you talking about?"

"Yeah," Inuyasha said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Because I'm pretty sure I've never met my Great Uncle."

Koga ignored our questions and continued to speak. "Kagome, you'll have to remove the arrow. I'm pretty sure your Great Aunt was the one who sealed him, so if you're truly her reincarnation, you should be able to break the spell."

"Koga!" I yelled. His head snapped up in attention. "What the hell are you talking about?"

He quirked an eyebrow in confusion and then realized that neither of us were following a word he said. A slow smile spread across his features. "Remember that field trip we took during Junior year?"

I thought for a moment. "You mean when we went to that museum with all the bodies?" Inuyasha asked.

"Yeah," Koga answered. He leaned against the wall and continued to smile that secret smile. "And do you remember that 'unnamed inu-hanyou' with the arrow lodged in his chest?"

"What about him?"

Koga didn't answer, but his smile grew large as he watched Inuyasha's eyes widen in realization. My mouth fell open in surprise. "No way," I whispered.

"Yup. That's him," Koga said cheerfully. "Great Uncle Inuyasha."

-End—

* * *

Lordy. This was a long chapter. But it was fun to write. :D

Is everybody keeping up with what's going on? I don't want anything to seem rushed or confusing. Let me know your thoughts. I love to read your reviews; they really help me gauge how well the story is progressing.

Next chapter is in the works.

More Inu/Kag/Koga interaction. Which I know is everybody's favorite. :) It's certainly mine. lol

Review! Thanks!

-_RedThread_


	38. Elevators and Airplanes

You guys! You guys! I'm sooooo close to having 500 reviews! How awesome it that? If you can't tell, I'm, like, totally psyched. :) Please help me get there!

Oh, and Thank You to those who have reviewed every chapter update. It's lovely to have such loyal reviewers. I literally squee with joy every time I see that I have a new review alert. Haha! So thanks for adding a little bit of happy to my day. :D

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha**

* * *

Chapter 38: Elevators and Airplanes

- Start—

"You're kidding, right?" I questioned incredulously. "_Right?_"

Koga shook his head. "You guys have to believe me."

Inuyasha's shock was shifting to anger. "Why the hell would my Great Uncle's body be in some museum?"

Koga shrugged and bowed his head in thought. "I have no idea. But he must have been sealed sometime _after_ the Final Battle with Naraku. From what I can remember, Inuyasha fought throughout the entire thing." He closed his eyes in concentration, reliving a memory, and we waited for him to speak again. "I _do_ know that Kagome was the miko who sealed him, though," Koga added after a moment of silence. "It was her aura radiating from the arrow."

I put a hand to my forehead in frustration. "So, let me get this straight. You, my Great Aunt Kagome, and Inuyasha's Great Uncle Inuyasha all fought together in the battle against Naraku nearly 560 years ago?"

Koga raised his eyes and nodded solemnly.

"And then, just when everybody thought the war was over, Naraku possessed your body and forced you to flee the battle field?"

"Right. But nobody realized that Naraku was inside of me. I'm sure everyone figured that I had just disappeared on my own as soon as the fighting was over."

"Ok, but Inuyasha was still up and moving by the end of the battle, right?"

Koga frowned in concentration. "I'm…I'm not sure. I've always focused so much on the moment Naraku entered my body that it's hard to remember anything else."

"Well, from what I've learned, Kagome came back to her time almost immediately after she got the Jewel," I said matter-of-factly.

Inuyasha walked toward the cot and sat down, a thoughtful frown on his face. "So that means," he said, "if Kagome sealed my Great Uncle, she did it between the time Naraku bound himself to Koga and the time she returned back to the future." His golden eyes shot to the wolf demon. "But why would she do that? I thought she and my Great Uncle were allies."

Koga snorted. "Oh, trust me, they were more than just allies. If Kagome sealed Inuyasha, she did it with good reason."

The way he said that struck me as odd, and then I realized why. _More than just allies. _ They'd been in love. My Great Aunt Kagome had traveled back in time and fallen in love with Inuyasha's Great Uncle. No wonder she'd never married in her time. She'd been in love with a man who had lived more than 500 years before she was born.

But if she had sealed him, then that meant…

"She did it so that they could be together," I whispered in sudden realization.

Koga and Inuyasha stared at me in confusion.

"Why would she have done that?" Inuyasha questioned. "He was a hanyou, wasn't he? He could have easily lived for 500 years. I'm willing to bet he definitely would have chosen living for half a century and waiting for her over being locked in a spiritual coma."

Good point. I shrugged. "Well, it was just a guess." Koga was pacing again and I could tell he had something on his mind. "What do you think, Koga?"

He shook his head. "I just don't understand why she didn't find him in her time and remove the arrow herself. There's no way she would have intentionally left him like that."

"Maybe she just couldn't find him," I said. "Somebody obviously found and moved his body in those 500 years."

"Yeah," Koga said slowly as though he didn't really buy it. "I guess you're right."

We sat in silence for a moment, lost in our own thoughts, and then, "Do you really think I'll be able to take the arrow out of his body?"

Koga glanced at me from the corner of his eye, a smirk curving his lip. "You will. It's been done before. Your Great Aunt had to remove an arrow under the same circumstances. It wasn't hers, but since she was the reincarnation of the miko who'd placed it, she was able to destroy it."

Inuyasha suddenly stood in one of those fluid motions that only demons can accomplish. He turned yellow eyes to Koga and crossed his arms. "Why should we trust you?" he asked coolly. "This entire idea could be some sort of plot to lure Kagome to Naraku."

The thought had never occurred to me, but I warmed to it instantly. "Yeah, Koga." I said, suspicion lacing my voice. I planted my hands on my hips. "Convince me that you're telling the truth."

"Look," he said, running a hand through his hair. "You saw it yourself, Kagome. The mark is gone; I'm not bound to Naraku anymore. I wanted him dead 560 years ago, and I want him dead now. I will do everything in my power to see him wiped off the face of this earth."

I could hear the sincerity in his voice and see the desperation in his posture. His fists were clenched by his sides and his spine was rigid with determination. I shifted my gaze to Inuyasha and our eyes locked.

_You think he's really telling the truth?_

_As much as I hate it, yeah…_

I quirked an eyebrow. _Even so…_

Inuyasha's mouth hitched up in a smirk as we reached a tacit agreement. _Let's keep him locked up._

"We're going to take you for your word, Koga," Inuyasha said mildly, tilting his head and staring him down. "But that doesn't mean much. You're still a prisoner, and you're going to be treated like one."

The wolf demon frowned and looked to me for confirmation. I felt my heart waver under that stare, and I had to glance away. Koga's betrayal was a fresh wound in my mind, but my heart had yet to catch up. A week ago we'd been a happy couple, and the sight of his blue eyes, the fall of his hair, the glint of his fangs, they were all little things that still affected me. I couldn't help it.

"We'll have to move you to a new cell," I said after a moment. I was staring down at what was left of the original door.

Inuyasha moved toward the gaping doorway and motioned for Koga to follow. "Come on, wolf-boy. I'm starving, and dinner is probably almost over."

Koga's gaze lingered on me for a minute longer and then he stepped toward the exit. I brought up the rear.

We filed across the hall and Inuyasha typed in a code, unlocking a new cell. "Home, sweet home," he said as he ushered Koga through. "I'll tell someone to bring you some food. Be good." The wolf demon was facing away from us and didn't say a word as the door shut; it hurt something within me to see him so alone inside that room, slumped shoulders, defeated aura.

I shook my head, forcing the image away. I looked up and met Inuyasha's gaze. His golden eyes darkened.

"Are you okay?" he asked lowly.

It'd been a year and a half, and he could still read me like a book.

"I'm fine," I said softly, straightening my stance, raising my chin.

He narrowed his eyes and studied me for a moment longer before starting toward the end of the hallway. I followed a few paces behind, watching the back of his head as he moved forward. I had so much I wanted to say to him…but I didn't know where to begin.

_I'm sorry._

_How are you?_

_I've missed you._

_Thanks for saving me._

_No thanks, for stabbing me in the gut._

_Why are you avoiding me?_

_Can we please talk?_

Our footsteps echoed loudly against the floor, almost as loud as the thoughts in my head. I opened my mouth about a dozen times before we reached the elevators, but I couldn't seem to force the words out of my throat. It was probably best if I just stayed quiet. My emotions were going haywire right now. I'd probably start the conversation pissed off and then end up crying on his shoulder or something.

_Heh. _I rolled my eyes._ Bet he'd love that._

We'd reached the lobby by now, and it took me a couple of long moments to realize that Inuyasha was standing in front of the elevator buttons, but had yet to push one. I began to move forward, but his voice stopped me.

"Kagome."

I froze about a foot behind him.

"We need to talk."

He turned to face me and his eyes were like hard chips of amber. I mentally steeled myself for what was coming and forced my face to go blank. "About what?" I asked.

"You can't stay in America. It's too dangerous."

I settled my hands on my hips. "Actually, your dad said it was A-o-kay, and last time I checked, he was the boss around here."

Inuyasha frowned. "I'll talk to him."

"Why? Why do you want me to leave so badly?" I demanded. "Did you not see what I did to that door back there? I'm perfectly capable of protecting myself."

The hanyou's ears instantly laid back and his chest rumbled with the force of an annoyed growl. "Capable of protecting yourself? For God's sake, Kagome, I carried you in my arms while you were slowly bleeding to death." His eyes closed in anger, and his jaw worked with frustration, but when his voice came out, it was low and steady. "You were _dying_ and there was nothing I could do about it. Do you realize how scared I was? I've never felt so helpless in my life."

Not the words I was expecting. I stared at him speechlessly, my mouth opening and closing in a futile effort to say something intelligent. After a moment of strained silence I finally settled for, "You were worried about me?"

He sighed and leaned back against the elevator doors, placing a forearm across his eyes. "Worried about you?" he said tightly. "Kagome, I thought that I was about to lose you forever. I was freaking out."

I could feel a blush beginning to crawl its way up my neck. Inuyasha was one of those guys who showed his true feelings through a mask of anger and sarcasm. The fact that he was freely admitting how upset he'd been by my injury was a sign that he'd been truly scared. Inuyasha being scared was one thing; hearing him confess it out loud was a whole different story. It caught me off guard and it made me wonder how much he'd changed in the past few years.

My eyes darted to the ground and then back to his face. I shrugged uncomfortably. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha. I didn't realize… you cared so much."

He lowered his arm and stared across at me with half-lidded amber eyes. "Oh?" he questioned in a dangerously low voice.

With a flex of muscles, Inuyasha pushed away from the door and began to pace toward me in slow, measured strides. For every step he made forward, I took two back. I didn't like the look in his eye. There was something predatory about it.

"Inuyasha?"

My instincts were urging me to flee.

It wasn't long before I encountered a wall and had no place to go. I watched as he approached, and then held my breath as he leaned forward and placed his hands on either side of my face, caging me in his arms. He was close, so _close_, but not a single part of his body touched mine. I stared up at him blankly, trying to read his expression. He brought his face close to mine and then veered off to the right so that our cheeks barely brushed. I could feel his breath ghost past my ear.

"You have no idea," he whispered, "how much I care."

I couldn't see his face and my own was nearly pressed into his shoulder. _He's grown taller,_ I thought distractedly. I had to swallow hard before speaking. "So," I said weakly, "how much do you care, Inuyasha?"

Instead of answering, the dog hanyou shifted closer and nuzzled into my hair, inhaling deeply. "God," he breathed in a husky voice. "I've missed you so much."

My eyes widened and my heart began to pound. _What is going on here?_

"I thought I'd never smell this scent again," he mumbled.

"Huh?" I said in confusion. It was getting hard to think with him pressed so close and breathing into my hair. "Youlike the way I smell?"

I could feel the rumble of his voice through his chest as he spoke. "Are you crazy?" he questioned lowly into the shell of my ear. "Your scent is one of a kind. I could pick you out in the dark, if I had to."

I grew very still, his words jogging a memory. "Then, that time at the costume party?"

He was silent for a moment, his body tensing, and then he sighed, dropping his forehead to my shoulder. "Yeah."

"You knew?" I asked indignantly. "The entire time?"

"I sought you out."

My thoughts suddenly cleared and my anger flared. I could feel a mad blush heating my face as I recalled that night, specifically the scene just after we had kissed. "Then why did you act so horrified the moment the lights came on?"

"I had to make you hate me, Kagome." His eyes flicked up to meet my own, and he stared at me imploringly, willing me to understand. "I needed you to stay away from me."

"Hah!" I laughed bitterly, looking away. "And you couldn't have found different way to do it? You had to act on my feelings and embarrass me in front of the whol-."

And suddenly I knew. My mouth opened in mortification and, if possible, I turned even redder. "When did you figure it out?" I asked.

He looked confused. "When did I figure what out?"

"When did you figure out that I liked you?"

Inuyasha's gaze flicked down to my lips and then back up to my eyes. "_Years_ ago," he rumbled. "Seventh grade, maybe?"

_Seventh grade? ? _That was ages before Kikyo or Naraku came around. Why didn't he tell me? He had never encouraged my feelings, but he'd never _discouraged_ them either. What was that supposed to mean?

I glanced away from him, a strange mix of emotions pounding through my chest. Regardless of how Inuyasha had behaved prior to Naraku's appearance, he'd known that I had feelings for him, and he'd used them to his advantage the moment he needed to, purposely twisting them. Everything he'd done in order to drive me away had been meant as a direct strike to my heart. Asking me for girl advice. Dating Kikyo. Kissing me and then blowing me off. Avoiding me completely.

I gathered my strength and shoved Inuyasha in the chest as hard as I could, pushing him away. "How could you do that to me?" I yelled, starting to breathe hard. "Do you know what you put me through?" I ran a frantic hand through my hair and began to stomp toward the elevator. "Jesus Christ, what is _with_ you guys? Am I pawn in _everybody's_ game?"

_Has anyone stopped to think about __**my**_ _emotions? My feelings?_

A furious expression crossed Inuyasha's face. "I did it to _protect_ you, Kagome. You think I_ enjoyed_ pushing you away?" he asked caustically. "You think I liked watching you give up on me and fall for that stupid wolf?"

I paused in front of the buttons, trying to calm myself. It was proving to be difficult. "Look, Inuyasha," I huffed. "I've had a lot thrown on me in the past week, and I'm a little emotionally unstable." I jabbed the down button and then turned to face him, crossing my arms. "So you'll understand when I tell you that I'm not really in the mood to discuss how you broke my heart, right?"

The elevator doors dinged open behind me, and miraculously, the elevator was empty. I turned and stepped onto it, fully intending to leave Inuyasha on the 25th floor, but before I could mash the door close button, he moved.

A burst of demon speed, and he was in the elevator, pressing me against the metal wall, using his height to lean over me. His body was like a cage of steel, pinning me where I stood. Our hands fumbled as I struggled to push him off of me.

"Wha—," I squirmed breathlessly. "What are you _doing,_ Inuyasha?"

"I'm so damn tired of fighting it," he growled. "Of fighting myself. I can't watch you walk away again. I won't do it."

He managed to pin both of my arms above my head with one hand; the other he used to jerk my face up. His lips crashed onto mine, and my body stilled. His kiss was hard and angry and demanding, and after a moment, I realized that I was egging him on, kissing him back just as roughly. I gave in to the edgy feeling that was beginning to crawl through my body and lost myself in the moment, allowing him to share in my frustration. All the love, hurt, hate, longing… I couldn't keep it locked inside anymore. It needed to be released. I felt as though everything that had happened between us in the past few years had built up to this one demanding moment, and I could sense that same contained energy emanating from Inuyasha as his lips worked against mine in a relentless rhythm.

We needed this. This was _supposed_ to happen.

I moaned into his mouth and felt one of his fangs graze my bottom lip. He pushed me further into the wall and I writhed beneath him, wanting more, wanting less, wanting _him_.

By now my hands had worked their way free, and I was running them through his hair, pulling roughly, forcing him to growl. His fingers traced their way down my stomach, across my hipbones, finally settling under my thighs. He lifted me in one smooth motion, and my legs wrapped around his middle as though we'd done this a thousand times. I braced his face with my hands, stared down at him for a dazed second, and then continued to kiss him, forcing his lips open. He responded immediately, drawing me in, forcing me out, fighting me even in this.

We were friends, we were enemies, we were together, we were apart. But mostly we were frustrated. And we had no patience for being gentle.

He growled, a feral sound, and I could feel the tips of his claws prick through my pants and into the soft flesh of my legs.

I was now pinned between the wall and his body, breathing hard and starting to feel a little hotter than I really should. Our lips met in quick, desperate, touches, but the moment his hips rolled against mine, I knew we had to stop. We were about to go too far, too fast.

"Inuyasha," I panted.

He kissed his way down my throat and drug his tongue across the throbbing pulse at the base of my neck in a hot, wet line. My eyes fluttered shut. "Yeah?"

I groaned and tilted my head to the side, granting him more access. "We have to…we have to stop." He ground his hips against mine again and I let out a strangled gasp, suddenly becoming coherent. "Seriously, Inuyasha, I can't do this."

"Mmm," he breathed against my skin unintelligibly. The dog hanyou nipped along my collar bone and I could feel myself starting to go under again.

I furrowed my brow and forced myself to focus on one thing.

"Koga," I said.

Inuyasha immediately stilled, his lips resting in the hollow between my shoulder and neck.

I opened my eyes and stared up at the ceiling of the elevator. It had yet to move, because neither of us had swiped a card or pushed a button. "I can't do this, Inuyasha," I said tightly, trying to control my erratic breathing. "Not yet. I just… I mean, me and Koga…" My head lolled back against the wall, my heart still pounding. "I need time to work through my feelings."

He remained motionless for a moment longer, then sighed and gently lowered me to the ground. My arms slid off his shoulders and back to my sides.

"I'm sorry," I said weakly, avoiding his eyes. "Really sorry."

We stood like that for what seemed like ages, neither of us willing to look at the other, and then Inuyasha silently moved away, sliding his card and pressing button number five. The elevator dropped and my heart sank with it as the silence between us stretched.

_Oh, God. What just happened?_

We reached our destination in less than a minute, and when the doors slid open, I pushed away from the wall, ready to escape. Yet just as I was about to step off, Inuyasha grabbed my wrist, and I turned to face him in surprise. Our eyes met, and for an instant, I was in high school again, blushing under his attention.

This time, though, he was the one who tore his eyes away, fixing them determinedly on the floor. His ears twitched slightly, and I could tell he was uncomfortable with what he was about to say.

"Inuy- ,"

"Kagome," he interrupted, his golden eyes shooting back up to mine. "You know I love you, right?"

Time froze.

My heart stopped beating. My mind went blank.

_What?_

Before I could so much as react, he released my wrist and stepped back into the elevator. It wasn't until the doors closed, and the heat of his gaze was blocked from me, that I found the ability to breathe again.

_Oh, God, _I panicked._ What just happened?_

* * *

"He did _what?"_

I fell back onto my bed, slinging an arm across my face in embarrassment.

"Inuyasha kissed me."

"When? Where? _Why?" _Sango's voice went up an octave with every word.

I rolled onto my side and started from the beginning of my adventure, telling her everything, including the warehouse on the 20th floor and Koga's involvement with Naraku. I ended with what had just transpired in the elevator. Sango was leaning against my dresser, her mouth slightly open in shock.

"So what are you going to do, Kagome?"

"I don't know," I groaned in agony. "I don't know."

I could feel the weight of her gaze as she studied me. "You still love him, don't you?" she inquired softly.

I wasn't sure if she was referring to Inuyasha or Koga. I thought the question probably applied to them both.

Sango shifted and came to sit beside me on the bed, her eyes downcast. "What are you going to do?" she repeated.

_I have no idea. _My heart was being twisted in half from two different sides.

I'm not sure when I starting loving Inuyasha, but somewhere along the way with us growing up together, I'd fallen for him. And I'd fallen hard. He'd been around as long as I could remember, and 2 years apart hadn't done much to change a whole lifetime of adoration. Even the fact that he'd manipulated my feelings in order to push me away was one that I could overlook. Because he hadn't done it to be mean or cruel.

He'd done it because he loved me, and wanted me to be safe.

And then there was Koga.

He'd used me in order to gain his freedom, but I couldn't ignore the fact that I'd used him as well. He'd been the buffer between my heart and Inuyasha, a security blanket, a rebound. I'd used him as tool to keep my longing for the dog hanyou at bay, and that in itself was a terrible thing for me to do.

But even though we'd lied and kept our secrets, we'd somehow made a connection that was true. I was attracted to the wolf demon, and he to me. You don't date for more than a year and not gain some sort of affection for your partner. Koga could claim that he'd distanced himself from me all that time, but I knew it wasn't true. He had feelings for me. I'd seen it in his eyes the night before he'd turned me over to Naraku.

Inuyasha loved me.

Koga loved me.

And, apparently, I had feelings for them both.

I sighed forlornly and Sango rested a hand on my shoulder. "You don't have to make a decision now, you know," she said gently. "Take it slow. Let your heart unravel itself first."

"Do you think I'm crazy if I say that I still have feelings for Koga?"

She thought for a moment and then shook her head. "It's understandable, Kagome. You guys were together for a whole year and a half. And it sounds like he's been through a lot on his side of things too." She quit speaking for a moment. "Do you think, if your roles had been reversed, you'd have made the same decision as him?"

"You mean give him up to Naraku?"

She nodded.

"Yeah," I answered after a while. "Yeah, I would have. 560 years is a long time to be bound to a monster like Naraku."

"It's hard to hate him then, isn't it?"

I groaned and rolled my eyes. "Sango, you do realize that you're not helping in the slightest," I said, a small smile twitching my lips. "You're only making this harder…."

"Yup," she said, leaning back on her elbows with a self satisfied sigh. "Apparently I'm good at that. Miroku said almost the exact same thing last night."

I stared at her for a minute, then two, and then, "Oh gross! Too much information!"

"I'm kidding," she grinned.

"Yeah," I said, "except you're not."

She shrugged. "Who knows?"

I rolled my eyes and jumped off the bed, heading for the door. "I'll bet Miroku does," I mumbled under my breath.

"Where are you going?"

"I've gotta find some chocolate."

"Haha!" Sango laughed. "Some things never change."

* * *

The next morning I received a letter asking me to please meet Mr. Taisho on the 30th floor at noon. Sango and Miroku received one also.

"I've seen these before," Miroku commented as we were waiting for the elevator. "They're Mission Notes. Mr. Taisho sends them out to specific people when he needs them for special assignments."

I flipped the card over and studied it, noticing that it did look more like an invitation than a friendly letter. "So, he's going to brief us on a mission or something?"

Sango shrugged. "I don't know. I've never gotten one before."

We all climbed into the elevator and ascended to the top floor. When we arrived we were in a lobby- surprise, surprise—and the only door in the room slid open on its own as we approached. The difference between this floor and the others I'd explored was that the door from the lobby did not open into a hallway. We were standing in an office. A huge, open-spaced, window bound office.

Mr. Taisho sat behind a large, black desk positioned in the center of the room. My eyes immediately darted to the four other people quietly standing opposite of him. Inuyasha, Kikyo, Koga, and Sesshomaru formed a half made semi-circle around the desk.

I frowned as I noticed the shackles on Koga's wrists, but didn't say a word. Sango, Miroku, and I took our places, completing the arc around Mr. Taisho.

"Now that we are all here," he rumbled, golden eyes flicking to us, "I'll get started."

Nobody spoke.

Mr. Taisho leaned back in his chair, staring at each of us in turn. "This is a mission that is top secret and must not be spoken about to anyone, friend or foe, under any uncertain terms. Should you be captured, you must hold your silence. Is that clear?"

My heart rate jumped as I nodded in understanding with the rest of the group. Just what kind of task was Mr. Taisho about to give us?

The dog demon answered the question as though I'd spoken aloud. "I'm sending the seven of you to Tokyo," he said gravely, eyes flashing in challenge. "You will have 24 hours to locate the body of my hanyou Uncle and bring him back to life."

* * *

That night, the seven of us were on a flight back to Japan.

"Sleep while you can," Sesshomaru rumbled lowly as we boarded the plane. "Our search begins the moment we arrive."

I knew the second that I took my seat, sleep was not going to happen for me. Each row on the plane consisted of three chairs, and somehow, I'd managed to land myself in between Koga and Inuyasha.

_Why? Why do these things happen to me?_ I lamented.

Koga had the place closest to the window, and Inuyasha was situated right next to the aisle. I was trapped between them and the seats were close enough that one of my thighs brushed Inuyasha's and the other, Koga's.

None of us said a word.

The wolf demon's chains had been exchanged for a collar; an electric collar. If he decided to abandon us, or lead us into a trap, Sesshomaru had the ability to end Koga's life. I was glad that Mr. Taisho had given this responsibility to his elder son, because I had a feeling that if Inuyasha were in control, Koga wouldn't last more than 10 minutes.

As soon as the plane was airborne, I tilted my seat back and closed my eyes. I was too tense to actually sleep, but feigning it definitely sounded like a good idea.

Of course, as soon as I shut my eyes, I drifted off. The dimmed lights, the hushed sounds of the plane travelling through the air, the quiet cabin; I was out like a baby. I don't know how long I was asleep, but the low murmur of Koga's voice was what brought me awake.

"She still loves you, you know."

I kept my eyes closed and my breathing steady, even though my heart rate spiked. _Did he just... Did he really just say that? _And then a worse thought crossed my mind, and I had to struggle not to frown. _Koga's known this entire time. We dated for a whole year, and he knew that I still loved Inuyasha. _I tried to hold back the guilt, and the feeling that I'd betrayed them both somehow_. _

I was beginning to think that Inuyasha wasn't going to respond, but after a long moment of silence, he finally spoke.

"Not like she used to," he said quietly. "I'm not the only one in her heart anymore."

I could tell from his tone of voice that he was frowning.

"Hah!" Koga laughed bitterly. "She'll choose you in the end. She always chooses you."

They fell into silence again and I got the feeling that Koga had turned to gaze out the window.

"You'd give her up to me? Just like that?" Inuyasha questioned.

Koga growled, a low sound deep within his chest. "After what I put her through, I don't deserve to even have a chance with her."

The pain in his voice was enough to make me want to throw my arms around him and whisper soft things into his ear. I could only imagine how badly it had hurt Koga to make the decision between me and his one chance at freedom.

"You're right," Inuyasha agreed resentfully. "But I don't think _she_ sees it that way."

Koga shifted and I could tell that they were staring at each other now.

"What makes you say that?"

"Just trust me on this one, Koga," Inuyasha said harshly. "She still loves you too."

The plane suddenly jerked as we hit a bit of turbulence and two arms from different directions slid across my body protectively. Koga's arm was on my belly; Inuyasha's arm was on my lower lap. I couldn't help the way my body tensed at the unexpected assault, and I prayed they wouldn't realize that I was awake.

A moment passed and neither arm moved. I got the feeling that some kind of intense eye battle was going on above me. The growing tension in the air was enough to raise the tiny hairs on my arms.

"I thought you were going to give up on her," Inuyasha mumbled in a dangerously soft voice.

Yup.

I'd missed something.

"I think I've changed my mind," Koga whispered back smoothly. "If some part of her still loves me, then I might actually stand a chance. I'm going to win her back."

"Over my dead body."

"Maybe."

I took that moment to conveniently make a sound in my sleep and roll onto my side toward Inuyasha. Both boys stilled and then I could feel their hands slowly slide off of me.

"It's her decision," Inuyasha said tightly, voice full of self-control. "She'll decide who she wants to be with."

Koga cleared his throat and shifted, turning back toward the window. "Yeah. But just to warn you: All is fair in love and war."

Inuyasha pressed his leg against mine, but from the sound of his voice, I could tell he'd turned his head back toward the aisle.

"Keh. _Nothing_ is fair in love and war."

-End—

* * *

I love that I have both Inu/Kag and Kog/Kag fans reading this story.

I also love that some hardcore Inu/Kag fans have admitted that they might convert over the Kog/Kag side for this story, and this story only. It's like, a special exception. Lol. Cracks me up.

And then there are those people who could care less which guy Kagome ends up with. :)

**So tell me…**

**Which are you?**

**Team Inuyasha? Team Koga? Or Team What Does It Matter, They're Both Awesome?**

**Leave a Review! ;)**

-_RedThread_


	39. Rude Awakening

So… I got some mixed votes on that last chapter. The majority leaned toward Inu/Kag, but I mean, come on? Who can resist a love triangle, no matter which side you're on? ;)

On another note… Woooo! Reached 500 reviews and then some. Thanks a bunch you guys! I love you all, even you lurkers who read this story, but don't review. Haha!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha**

* * *

Chapter 39: Rude Awakening

-Start—

Night had fallen.

It was time to move.

An hour and a half had passed since the curator had gone door to door, fastidiously checking each lock; his last job of the evening had been to set the alarm, and after doing so, he'd left the premises.

Koga and Sesshomaru finally unfurled from their concealed positions and moved forward, pacing to the edge of the shadows. We'd hidden in a dark, empty alleyway just across the street from the museum. The sidewalks were empty except for the silent glow of the streetlights and the occasional passerby headed home after a long day of work. "Wait for the signal," Sesshomaru ordered quietly. And then he and Koga were gone in a blur of movement.

I breathed lowly and shifted in my crouched position, trying to get the blood pumping in my legs again. I'd lost feeling in them a long time ago.

Fifteen minutes passed, and then a low whistle pierced the night. I turned my head toward the others and nodded. "Let's go." After checking for any unwanted witnesses, we darted across the street and into the shadows of the building. Koga stood at the same exit he and I had used 2 years ago, holding the door ajar.

I ducked past him and then waited for the others to join me. After a few moments, a soft click told me that we'd all made it inside and the door was securely closed.

"This way," Sesshomaru's voice commanded from somewhere to my right.

My vision slowly adjusted to the dimly lit interior, and I began to walk toward the sound of the dog demon's voice, letting everybody else follow along behind me. We reached the end of the dark hallway in seconds, and as soon as I entered the cavernous room containing the demon bodies, I slid my lock necklace off.

A wave of energy instantly pulsed against the edges of my mind with the wild strength of a trapped animal. I turned my head in the direction of the assault without even thinking about it. Sesshomaru stood beside a lit case, half in shadow, half in light, watching us with no expression. I quickly discerned that the source of this power was not coming from him.

I narrowed my eyes. I'd never felt something like this before. It was strong, compelling,…familiar.

After a moment of intense staring, I realized that Kikyo and I were the only people who had not fully stepped into the room. The others of our group were already across the floor and gathered around the glass case that held the lifeless body of our target.

"Can you feel it?"

My gaze slid sideways and locked with Kikyo's. Her wide-eyed expression reflected my own. She raised a trembling hand, and let out a soft breath before clenching her fingers into a closed fist.

"Can you feel it rushing through your veins?"

I inhaled deeply and then shifted my eyes back to latent body of the dog hanyou. "Oh, yeah." I was very aware of the power as it entered my body, coiled through my system, streaked through my limbs. And I was also very aware of the place from which it came.

My eyes were drawn to the arrow, and I found that I was unable—unwilling—to look away.

_Come._

The command floated through my mind with a firm sense of urgency, and I felt only the undeniable will to obey. The power increased, spilling over me in a heady rush, and my body began to move of its own accord.

I took one step forward and then another. The hesitant sounds of Kikyo's steps soon followed my own, and I knew that she was experiencing the same sort of irresistible jerk.

_Hurry_.

My stride automatically lengthened, my gaze locked on the arrow protruding from the half-demon's body. It had begun to emanate a soft pink light, illuminating the tranquil features of the sleeping hanyou. I pushed around Koga and pulled Inuyasha out of the way without even registering what I was doing. I had to get closer.

"Kagome?"

I ignored Inuyasha's concerned question and placed my hands on the cool surface of the glass. My fingers immediately began to glow with the same pink aura as the arrow just beyond.

"What are you doing?" Inuyasha asked, a note of caution edging his tone. He's seen me use this little trick before. I could feel everyone staring at my back, watching as the glow from my hands spread across the glass, enveloping the entire thing. I didn't have time to explain, I was in a hurry.

"What's wrong with her?" Sango's voice was soft and distant, as though she were speaking from the other side of a long tunnel. "She looks like she's in a trance or something."

Another spark of power flared up behind me, and then I heard Kikyo's voice. "Back off, Inuyasha. You can't touch her until that arrow is pulled. The power from that seal is being channeled through her body right now, which means one touch, and you're a pile of purified ash."

I could barely hear her over the rush of power that was beginning to pound through my veins, but I knew that what she'd said was true. I was overflowing with energy; my body was being controlled by it.

_Faster. Hurry._

I pressed my palms against the glass and forced some of that energy outward. The glass popped and a thin web of cracks appeared, spiking from top to bottom. I pushed again and, this time, the entire glass front of the case shattered. The sound was jarring enough that I was able to pull back from the continuous beat of the power within my head and think clearly for a moment. I stared down at my hands and grimaced at the nicks that were beginning to bleed.

"Ow," I hissed quietly.

"Is she okay?" somebody asked. "I think she's bleeding."

And then the arrow spoke again and I could feel the force of its power roll my mind, taking me back under.

_Come, Kagome…_

Everything faded away and a tremor raced down the length of my body. I slowly reached forward, allowing my bloody fingers to trace the ancient feathers that still decorated the end of the arrow. My breathing grew shallow as my hand closed around the shaft, and I could sense that everyone in the room had gone still.

I breathed out, tightened my grip, and then pulled with all my might.

The arrow shifted slightly, glowing brighter for a second, but then refused to budge any further. "It's… It's not working," I said out loud, a frown creasing my brow. The resistance of the arrow had pulled me from my trance, and my thoughts were beginning to clear.

I pulled hard, using both hands now and leaning back with all my weight. It didn't make a difference; the arrow was not being moved.

I stopped struggling and turned to face the others. "So…What now?"

They all stared back at me for a baffled moment, and then Miroku spoke. "Let Kikyo try."

I blinked. "Sure. Okay." I think we'd all expected _me_ to be the one to remove the arrow. But maybe Kikyo was actually meant to pull it out.

She switched places with me, and we all held our breath as she reached forward to grasp the arrow. It flared to life the minute she touched it, but it didn't shift anymore for her than it had for me. She turned. "Something's wrong."

"Really?" Inuyasha asked sarcastically.

She frowned at him and settled her hands on her hips. "I don't see you spouting out any brilliant ideas."

He shrugged and crossed his arms. "Oh, yeah? Well, here's one. How about you and Kagome try pulling it out at the same time?"

We all stared at him.

"What? You guys are supposedly two halves of one soul, right? If it was really Kagome's aunt that sealed him, then that means you have to pull the arrow out together."

Kikyo's face registered confusion for a split second, and then a snide smirk. "You know, Inuyasha. That's actually really insightful of you."

"What are you trying to say?" he growled.

"That you're right," I said, settling a hand on his shoulder to calm him down; the energy had faded from my system and it was safe to touch him now. His eyes darted down to meet mine and I grinned up at him. "For once, you may be on to something."

"For once?"

"For once." I stepped past him, sliding my hand off his shoulder teasingly, and took my place on the other side of the arrow, opposite of Kikyo.

Inuyasha crossed his arms and scowled. "Keh." Everyone else held their silence, though for some reason I got the sense that Koga was trying very hard not to smirk.

Kikyo and I stared at each other for a moment, and I could feel the call of the arrow building up once more against the edge of my mind. It was responding to our proximity. "Ready?"

She nodded, dark eyes solemn.

I raised my hand and she raised hers, our actions mirrored within each other.

"1," I counted.

"2," she breathed.

"….3." We settled our hands on the arrow at the same moment.

Something within me clicked, and a startled gasp spilled from my lips. In that moment I was whole, complete, absolute, finished. I was one.

And Kikyo was one with me.

_Now, pull_, the arrow ordered.

We both tugged at the same time, and the arrow slid out in one, smooth motion, disintegrating within our grasp.

And it was as though a taut string had been snapped. A wave of power swept through the room, and I gasped as mine and Kikyo's hair rose in the wake of an invisible wind. This time, everybody else could feel the power too. Koga growled and Inuyasha raised a hand to his face as though to ward it off. Sango wasn't visible behind the protective curve of Miroku's body, and the only reaction out of Sesshomaru was a narrowing of eyes.

Time seemed to stand still for a moment. I held my breath, eyes trained on the hanyou's body.

And then he fell forward. The arrow had been keeping him pinned upright.

Kikyo and I slumped under his dead weight, and we tried to ease his body to the ground as gently as possible. After a few moments of an undignified struggle, we finally managed to get him turned onto his back, so that he was facing upward.

Everybody moved forward, and Kikyo and I leaned over him expectantly, searching for some sign of life. Anything.

One minute went by. Then two.

Nothing happened.

"Something's off," I said uneasily.

"You're right," Koga said, squatting down next to me. "He should be breathing by now."

I stiffened suddenly as a new aura brushed against my sixth sense, and I turned a half-second before everybody else.

"Step aside," an unfamiliar voice ordered.

"Grandfather," Sesshomaru said with a nod of his head, a slight inflection of surprise in his voice.

The imposing dog demon standing in the doorway ignored him and moved forward with a grace that can only be accomplished with hundreds of years of practice. Everybody stepped out of his way as he drew closer, his golden eyes gleaming with the light of something inhuman. He stared down at me with those eyes, and I quickly realized that I was the only one who remained crouched over the hanyou's body.

"Move miko," the taiyoukai commanded lowly.

My instincts were telling me to back off, but something else forced my body to stay right where it was. I spoke without understanding why I needed to, and stared up into those fierce golden eyes unflinchingly. "What are you going to do to him?"

"Just move, Kagome," Koga's voice said from somewhere in the room. My eyes darted to find him, but the sound of sliding steel had my gaze right back on the demon in front of me. He'd drawn a sword.

"Move. Now."

I fought that possessive entity controlling my body and immediately pulled away, scooting back as quickly as possible.

His sword had an aura of its own, and that more than anything, was what frightened me.

The weapon began to pulsate within the demon's clawed hands, and I watched in frozen horror as he raised his arm, preparing to strike the unconscious body lying on the ground. A whimper escaped my lips as the sword swung down in a smooth arc, only inches above the face of the motionless hanyou.

We all stared in silence.

The mysterious youkai sheathed his sword and then stepped back, his eyes narrowed. I stared across at the body with baited breath, my heart beating frantically. Something significant had just happened. I could feel it in the air.

And then there was movement.

The hanyou's chest rose and fell as he fought to breathe.

Without understanding why, I scrambled forward and leaned over his body, staring intently at his face. I could feel Kikyo hovering just behind me.

He inhaled another rasping breath and his body bowed off the ground in pain. I reached down and cradled his face. "Inuyasha," I called. His body jerked again.

Kikyo went to his other side and grabbed one of his hands. "It's okay," she whispered reassuringly. "You're okay."

I was faintly aware of the ring of people surrounding us. Everybody had drawn closer.

The hanyou's body relaxed back to the ground and his breathing leveled out, but his eyes remained closed. I don't know why I was so concerned about this guy. I didn't even know him. I think it was partly the fact that he looked so much like _my_ Inuyasha. And the other part was something I didn't quite understand. I just…I needed to know he was going to be okay.

Oh. And there was the fact that he might be the key to destroying Naraku.

I leaned forward and pressed my lips to one of his ears. "Inuyasha," I breathed quietly. "It's time to come back."

He exhaled softly and I leaned away from him so that I could see his entire face. A moment of silence passed, and then his eyes slowly blinked open, as though they were heavy with the weight of sleep.

I stared down at him, watching as he gradually focused on my face, and something warm and familiar bubbled deep in the pit of my stomach. Those well-known golden eyes were pulling me in.

"Kagome?" he questioned haltingly. His voice was rough with disuse, but it was a sound I would have recognized anywhere.

"Hey," I said uncertainly. Was it weird that this guy, who'd been sealed for 560 years, knew my name?

The hanyou's golden gaze flicked over, and he tilted his head in confusion.

"Kikyo?"

"Uh, yeah," she answered slowly, surprise showing on her face. "How do you feel?"

He closed his eyes and then opened them again, as though he couldn't grasp what he was seeing.

"What happened? Where are we?"

He slowly raised himself into a sitting position, blinking as though the dim lighting radiating from his glass case was irritating. And maybe it was. It'd been a while since he'd used his eyes. He braced an elbow on an upraised knee, put a hand against his forehead, and then went completely still. Suddenly his hands dropped down to his torso. He began to check his body frantically, as though he were searching for something. "My wound," he stared down at his chest. "It's gone."

His eyes snapped back to mine. "It worked, Kagome," he said in a rush of words. "It worked."

I was about to ask him, 'What worked?', but without warning he was on his knees and pulling me forward into his arms. He crushed me to his chest, and I found my mouth pressed against the warmth of his neck. He smelled faintly of the forest.

_What is happening?_

"You saved me, Kagome," he whispered into my hair. I shifted against him and tried to relax, knowing that everybody in the room was watching this little interaction.

I sighed in relief when he allowed me to pull back, so that there was a bit more breathing room between us. But the moment my eyes connected with his, I froze. I'd seen that look before. His face began to lower toward mine.

A growl ripped through the room, and I was abruptly wrenched from the hanyou's embrace. My back was pressed firmly against somebody's chest, and a pair of arms banded across my stomach, keeping me close. "Don't even think about it." Inuyasha snarled at his ancestor, the sound rippling through his chest.

For a moment the elder Inuyasha looked confused, and then his features settled into a frown. "Let go of her," he growled back.

They stared at each other in growing fury and I could practically _feel_ the testosterone level in the room rise, but I was too busy trying to figure out what was happening to do anything about it.

It was Koga's voice that broke the building pressure.

"Calm down, mutt-face. That's not your Kagome." The wolf demon stepped forward and settled a hand on his hip. He smirked down at the confused hanyou and offered him his other hand. "You've got a lot of catching up to do."

The newly awakened Inuyasha sniffed at his hand suspiciously. "What's going on?" he demanded. His gaze swept the room. "Where's Shippo?"

"I'm here." We all turned at the sound of the new voice, and I gently pushed out of Inuyasha's arms so that I could see too. A man stepped out of the shadows and walked forward. His sea green eyes were fixed on the hanyou still seated on the ground. His red hair was pulled back from his face in a high ponytail and as he moved further into the light, his tail was revealed. No. _Tails._ Three, long, auburn, white-tipped tails fanned out behind him in an impressive array.

"Shippo?" Inuyasha questioned, sniffing the air.

Some memory tickled the edge of my brain, and I cocked my head in an attempt to remember. "Wait a minute," I said slowly. "You're that library guy!"

"Yeah," he said, green eyes glinting mischievously. "I am." Shippo pushed through us and knelt down next to the hanyou. "How you feeling, Inuyasha?"

"Why the hell are you so big?"

Shippo laughed. "I grew up."

Inuyasha's eyes traveled around the room again. "What's going on, Shippo?" he asked gruffly. "Everybody looks the same, but smells different. Everybody but you, Koga, and," his gaze shifted to the silent youkai standing just outside the circle of people. "Sesshomaru."

The aforementioned dog demon gave a nearly imperceptible nod. "Brother," he said coldly. He stared down at his younger sibling for another second and then turned away, heading for the dark exit. "A life, for a life, Inuyasha. My debt is paid."

"Huh?"

"You saved Rin during the final battle, remember?" Shippo explained. "So I was able to convince Sesshomaru, when the time came, to use his sword to save you."

"Shippo, his sword brings the dead back to life. Kagome sealed me so I wouldn't die."

"But you did die. Physically, at least."

I listened to this exchange quietly, my interest piqued.

"What do you mean?" Inuyasha demanded.

"You were too injured to make it to the well, so in order to save your life, Kagome sealed you in hopes that she could unseal you 500 years in the future and get you some modern medicine."

"Yeah, I remember all that. Get to the point, Shippo."

"Being sealed for 560 years has done wonders to your temper, I see," the kitsune said drily.

"_Shippo."_

"Long story short, you died the moment she sealed you, which meant that your body was preserved, but your soul was already gone. When Kagome made it back to the future, she couldn't find you in order to remove the arrow because the forest she sealed you in no longer existed. It'd been replaced with buildings and streets." Shippo grew silent for a moment and then continued almost sadly. "I'm sure she searched for you for her entire life, but she never found you."

"What are you talking about? Kagome is standing right there," the hanyou said, pointing a clawed finger in my direction. "She's _right there._" His voice was beginning to get a little frantic.

"No, Inuyasha," the fox demon said, shaking his head. "Kagome is dead. That girl standing over there is her relative, her great niece. And that guy standing behind her? The one that looks exactly like you? That's _your_ great nephew."

"I don't have a great nephew."

"Yes, you do."

"Since when?"

This Inuyasha was just as stubborn as mine.

"You were sealed for 560 years, Inuyasha. Things have changed."

"Where's Kagome?"

"I told you, she's dea—"

"Where is she, Shippo?"

The fox demon's jaw worked in frustration. This really wasn't fair. Shippo had had almost 20 years to accept my Great Aunt's death. To Inuyasha it probably seemed as though he'd seen Kagome only five minutes ago.

"I'm right here, Inuyasha."

I stared in confusion, along with everybody else, as Kikyo launched herself into the dog demon's chest, locking her arms around his waist. He looked down at the top of her dark head with raised eyebrows.

"I'm so sorry," Kikyo cried into his shirt. "So sorry. I couldn't find you! I looked and looked and looked, but you just disappeared."

Her voice sounded weird to me. The distraught girl raised her tear streaked face and stared up at the frozen hanyou, her sobs causing her body to shake. I'd never seen this side of Kikyo, and to be honest, it was freaking me out.

What was going on? Why was Kikyo acting as though she'd been the one… to…

"Kagome?" I said aloud.

Kikyo turned her head toward me.

_Oh. My. God._

"What's going on? What's wrong with her?" my Inuyasha asked from behind me.

I grew pale. "That's," I started, "…that's not Kikyo."

I could feel everyone shift their gaze from me to the girl who was still latched on to the hanyou. She smiled, her sobs subsiding, and the expression looked so... _wrong_.

"If that's not Kikyo, then who is it?"

"That's Kagome," I answered a little unsteadily. "Kikyo's being possessed by my Great Aunt Kagome."

"What the hell?"

Yeah.

I agreed.

-End—

* * *

So…

Kagome's personality in Kikyo's body? Inuyasha won't know what to do with himself! Haha.

I know school is starting this week for a lot of people (it is for me anyways -._-. ) so good luck with your first week of classes! I'll try my best to keep this story updated regularly, though it may become difficult for me.

Review please!

-_RedThread_


	40. Goodbye

Sorry for the wait. School has pretty much consumed my life for the past few months. Thank goodness for a month long Christmas Break. Writing this story is much more fun than studying organic chemistry and biology!

Thanks for all of the reviews too!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha**

* * *

Chapter 40: Goodbye

-Start-

This was too much.

Two Inuyasha's. Two Kagome's. And one trapped Kikyo.

I was so very, very confused.

"Okay, look," I said, straightening my spine and planting my hands on my hips. "We've got some major issues that need to be settled before anything else can happen."

Koga snorted. "Like what?" he asked in a tone that seemed to imply that this whole situation was a 'major issue'.

I rolled my eyes. "Inuyasha."

Both of the inu-hanyou reacted, turning at the sound of the name, and I waved a hand in exasperation. "See? Major issue. One of you guys is going to have to settle for a nickname."

Everybody in the room stared at me like I had just grown two heads. I could tell that they were all thinking along the same lines. _Kikyo has been possessed by your dead Great Aunt and the only thing you can think about is nicknames?_

"I'm just being practical," I said defensively, shrugging my shoulders. "It'll save us a lot of time and confusion, and more confusion is something we do _not_ need right now." I turned around and stared at Inuyasha, the one I'd grown up with, _my_ Inuyasha. "Can we call you Yash?"

He crossed his arms and glowered. "Whatever."

Well, that was easier than I'd expected it to be. I touched his arm, letting him know that I appreciated his cooperation. "Thank you, Inuyasha…" His eyes were locked on a wall and his jaw was set.

"It's Yash," he corrected.

"Thank you, _Yash._"

"But what about you, Kagome?" Sango asked from across the room. Kikyo and I turned our heads in unison. _Oh, yeah. _I leveled my gaze back on Inuyasha and Kikyo (aka, my Great Aunt Kagome), and bit my bottom lip in thought.

The hanyou was still wrapped in her loose embrace, arms hanging awkwardly by his sides, ears laid back in wariness, body as taut as a bowstring. He looked a little unsure about the whole situation.

I guess having a strange girl throw herself at you, claiming to be your dead love could do that to a guy.

"Look. Don't worry about it," Kagome said through Kikyo's mouth, breaking my contemplative silence. "I won't be here for long. This girl is fighting me tooth and nail."

_Kikyo is trying to push her out, _I realized. It was also in that moment I registered the fact that Kikyo's eyes had changed color. No longer were they dark brown, borderline black. Instead, they were an interesting shade of blue. Not light blue, not dark blue…just blue.

The possessed girl drew herself away from Inuyasha, probably sensing his caginess, and stared up at him for a long moment, simply studying his face. He stared back. Skeptically.

"I'm supposed to believe that you're Kagome?"

"Do I have to prove it?"

Inuyasha frowned. "Uh…Yes."

"Fine." One of her hands snaked to the top of his head. "I know your weakness." Before he could react to this proclamation, her fingers found his left ear, and when she tweaked it, Inuyasha growled.

I half expected him to throw her to the ground at the sudden attack, but instead his eyes drifted shut and he tilted his head downward to allow for better access. Her name was a whispered word on his lips.

"Kagome."

"You always acted as though you hated it," she confided, smothering a grin. "But I knew the truth. You loved it as much as I did." Kagome laughed at Inuyasha's blissful expression and raised her other hand to aid in the assault on his ears. "You have no idea how badly I've missed you." Her voice wavered at the end of the sentence, and even though she was smiling, teardrops were brimming in her eyes.

The hanyou opened his eyes at her words and stared down at her, several emotions flitting across his face in quick succession. Disbelief, regret, anger, sadness,…love.

Inuyasha began to speak and Kagome shook her head, cutting off his words. "I'm so sorry that I couldn't find you, Inuyasha," she whispered. "The well wouldn't let me back through and the place where I'd sealed you didn't exist in this time." She was trembling now, and she lowered her hands. Her gaze dropped to the floor and Kikyo's dark hair fell around her face, hiding her expression. When she spoke her voice was tight with distress, as though she was struggling to maintain control. "And Sango and Miroku and Kirara… I couldn't…I never knew…I wasn't able to say _goodbye_. And I had no idea what had happened to your sword or what happened to them, and whether or not Naraku was still alive, whether or not _you_ were still alive. All I could do was protect the shrine and shield the Jewel and ...and I had all these thoughts and nobody to share them with, and I was going _insane_—" Inuyasha crushed her to his chest, cutting off her tirade of words. She was sobbing now, and he simply pulled her closer, resting his chin on top of her head, his eyes clenched shut.

"I'm so sorry, Kagome."

She cried and wrapped her arms around him, clinging onto him as though he were all that tethered her to this world.

And in truth, he probably was.

I'd grown still during all of this, my mind working furiously. No wonder my Great Aunt Kagome had never gotten married or left the shrine. She was guarding the Jewel, maintaining the shielding spell, and probably hoping that, if Inuyasha was alive somewhere in her time, he'd find _her_.

_What a tragic story._ I stared at the couple in front of me, fighting a sudden lump in my throat. I could only imagine what it must have been like for Kagome. I'd barely made it more than a year without Inuyasha, a man I loved. How in the world did she survive a lifetime?_ And all of this happened because of Naraku._

I tilted my head and thought about that statement for a moment.

_No._ I realized._ All of this is because of the Jewel. _The Shikon no Tama was the one string that was threading this whole story together. Including mine. I bowed my head and crossed my arms, considering.

_The Jewel is the key to everything. _I stared at the ground unseeing, my thoughts churning. _So what does that mean? Do I have to find a way protect the Jewel? Guard it like Great Aunt Kagome for the rest of my life so that these bad things will quit happening?_

That seemed a little sacrificial on my part. I'd be stuck in one place, forced to construct a shield because travelling anywhere with the Jewel would attract demons. I'd basically be sentencing myself to a life very much similar to my predecessor.

"I have to go now." My head snapped up at the sound of her voice. Kagome was staring up at Inuyasha now, her forehead pressed against his, hands cupping the curve of his jaw. His eyes were suspiciously bright. "And I know you'll miss me, and I know you'll be confused, and I know you'll give everybody a hard time, but these people need your help, so you're going to have to work through all of that." Her voice hardened and she drew away from his face, her blue eyes dark with anger. "Naraku survived that final battle, Inuyasha. He's still out there, and he has the Jewel."

Inuyasha's whole body tensed at Kagome's words. "_What?_" he hissed, ears lying flat to his skull. "That bastard is still _alive_?"

I wasn't going to question how she knew all of this. She was a spirit, after all.

Kagome nodded and her hands dropped from Inuyasha's face to his shoulders. "Shippo knows where the Tetsusaiga is located. He can help you get it."

Inuyasha was beginning to shake, his hands clenched into tight fists. "Did… did Naraku kill you?"

Kikyo's face registered confusion for a moment as the girl within thought about his words, and then realization dawned, and she shook her head. "No, Inuyasha," Kagome answered gently. "I died of old age. I knew Naraku may have lived on after the battle, so I put a shield around the shrine to protect the Shikon no Tama and my family." She settled her gaze on the fox youkai standing a few feet away. "In fact, Shippo was the only demon who was able to make any sort of contact with me. He wasn't around when your body disappeared, and he searched for you long before I was even born, but you'd just…vanished." Her eyes found Shippo's and they traded a look. "He _was_, however, able to keep up with the Tetsusaiga."

Shippo's mouth twitched in a slight grin and he bowed his head in acknowledgement. "You owe me big, Inuyasha."

The hanyou snorted. "Like saving your sorry ass a hundred times over doesn't count. Way I see it, _you_ owed _me._" Though his words seemed harsh, I could see a gleam of appreciation in his eyes. _Dear lord, he's just like Inuyasha_. I paused and shook my head. _I mean Yash. He's just like Yash. Or maybe Yash is just like him. _I raised a hand to my forehead and sighed. This name thing was going to get real old, real fast.

"I missed this," Kagome said with a weak laugh. "A lot. You two always argued over _everything._" She leaned forward and placed her cheek against Inuyasha's chest, and exhaled a sigh of contentment. "I'm glad I got to see you again."

Several seconds of silence passed and I began to wander if Inuyasha was going to respond. I could see his face over the top of her head, and his expression was carefully blank, amusement gone; his jaw was clenched in concentration.

He held control over his facial features admirably, but the pain reflecting in his eyes told me everything.

"Don't leave, Kagome," he ordered gruffly. "Not like this. Stay with me."

She pulled back and stared up at him with a soft smile. "You know I can't, Inuyasha. My time is up. My life is over. It wouldn't be fair of me to steal somebody else's." She stood on her tip-toes and wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing him close. "Besides," she whispered, so quietly I could barely hear. "We'll meet again. I promise."

Inuyasha searched her gaze intently and then dipped his head, sealing their lips together. His arms snaked around her waist, pulling her forward into a fierce embrace. I averted my eyes, cheeks hot, wishing that we could give them a little more privacy.

My wondering gaze paused and it took a moment for my brain to catch up. After a few delayed seconds, I realized that I was staring straight across at Koga. He too had shifted his gaze away from the couple, and something about the set of his jaw and the slump of his shoulders seemed to state that he was uncomfortable with what was happening as well.

But he seemed more upset than embarrassed.

_Well, of course he's upset,_ my mind said in exasperation. _He knew her. She's a friend that is about to leave this earth once and for all. How would you react if you were in his shoes?_

But still.

A heavy feeling had settled uncomfortably in the pit of my stomach, and somewhere in the back of my mind was the niggling suspicion that Koga was upset for much different reasons. He was acting like a jealous boyfriend.

Suddenly his blue gaze slid over to meet my own, and it was as though he were staring at me, but seeing somebody completely different_._ The longing in that stare slid straight through my body like a well placed knife, and stabbed somewhere deep in my heart. I jerked my eyes away from his and turned my head so that I was staring at a wall instead.

I wasn't stupid. I'd seen pictures of my Great Aunt Kagome when she was young. And Inuyasha's earlier reaction proved it more so. We looked like carbon copies of each other. We could have been identical twins.

Were our personalities similar also? How often had Koga looked at me and seen, _pretended_, that I was somebody else instead?

I raised a hand to my lips, and only then did I realize that I was shaking.

_That look in his eyes…. That was not for me. _

I crossed my arms and shoved my hands under my armpits in order to hide the tremor. I chewed on my bottom lip and chased away the sudden pain in my chest. It shouldn't bother me this much. But for some reason the knowledge that Koga had romantic feelings for my Great Aunt Kagome bothered me a lot. A _whole_ lot.

"Goodbye, Inuyasha."

Thankfully, before my mind could seize upon this new jewel of information and begin picking it slowly and painfully apart, Kagome's final words snapped my attention back to the center of the room. I had a brief moment to wonder how she'd spoken with her lips still pressed against Inuyasha's, and then two things happened at once.

One: the small piece of Kagome that was animating Kikyo's body faded away completely. I felt her leave this dimension like a wisp of smoke curling into the air.

Two: Kikyo came back into awareness. And, as it happened, her body was still kissing Inuyasha.

Several moments passed and her form seemed to fall limp in the hanyou's arms. He pulled back, breaking their lip-lock, concern creasing his brow.

"Kagome?" he called softly in a voice that wasn't as steady as he probably wanted it to be.

The girl in his arms drew in a breath and her eyes fluttered open.

They were brown.

Her reaction was instantaneous. "Ge—Get off of me!" She pushed against Inuyasha's chest and struggled to get out of his arms, almost falling to the ground in the process.

"_Kagome?"_

"Wrong. I'm Kikyo. Now let go!" Inuyasha had his hands wrapped around her waist, holding her close while she squirmed. Their faces were inches apart as Inuyasha examined her eyes, and I could see the mad blush that was starting to spread across Kikyo's pale cheeks. It looked odd. "Seriously. Let go," she said, looking anywhere but right at him.

The half-demon removed his hands slowly, as though in a daze. "She's…gone?"

"Yes," Kikyo answered curtly. "She's gone."

Inuyasha stepped away from her and bowed his head, shrouding his eyes beneath the shadow of his bangs. "Of course she is," he mumbled lowly. "It's like a never-ending cycle." Shippo stepped forward and settled a clawed hand on the hanyou's shoulder. Inuyasha shrugged him off with a growl. "Take me to my sword, Shippo."

"Right now?"

"Yes, _right now._ I'm going to kill that fucking bastard."

"Who?"

Inuyasha raised his head, golden eyes lit with burning fury. "Who do you think?"

The fox demon frowned. "He's got the Jewel, Inuyasha."

"Yeah? Since when has that stopped me?" His eyes were darting around the room, searching for an exit. "He started all of this, now I'm gonna finish it. Let's _go, _Shippo."

The kitsune sighed and turned his gaze toward the rest of us, ignoring the half-demon, which didn't sit well with him at all.

"Oi! Don't roll your eyes at me! We're in a hurry here!"

"We'll need to go by the library," Shippo said over Inuyasha's voice, still ignoring him. "It may take a while…."

My eyes slid over to meet Yash's and we had one of our silent conversations.

_Think we have time?_

He cocked an eyebrow and slanted his head toward Inuyasha. _Think that matters to __**him**__?_

The hanyou was pacing the room like a caged dog. My shoulders slumped. _You're right. _

He nodded his head, and we reached a tacit agreement. I turned back toward Shippo.

"Let's go."

* * *

Well. Being inside of a library at night was a lot creepier than I'd expected.

I stood perfectly still, my arms crossed over my chest, trying to let my eyes adjust to the darkness before I attempted to move anywhere. I tensed in alarm when a blue flame appeared just to the right of my elbow, and then relaxed when I realized that it was only Shippo.

He'd conjured a bit of foxfire for the benefit of us humans. I was starting to like this guy.

"Follow me," he instructed, starting down a nearby hallway in a halo of blue light.

With the exception of Sesshomaru, who'd disappeared around the same time as his grandfather, we all trailed after Shippo. Out of instinct, I stepped lightly as possible, my footsteps silent on the threadbare carpet. Something about the hush of the library and the little bit of moonlight slanting through the windows seemed dangerous, as if the slightest noise from any one of us would wake a slumbering beast.

My body broke out in gooseflesh and a shiver raced up my spine.

_Geez. It's just a bunch of dusty, old books. What's the matter with me? _

I straightened my spine and unclenched my arms, trying to relax and regain a measure of confidence. I'd been in this library a thousand times over the course of my life. I knew every nook and corner, so there was absolutely _nothing_ to be afraid of.

And yet another wave of chill bumps lifted my skin.

_Okay, what the hell? _It was then that I realized what was happening. The chills weren't cropping up because I was scared (okay, maybe that was a tiny part of it). But no. The source of my discomfort was mainly something else. Something _powerful._

A tendril of the nearby aura teased a reaction out of my skin again and I stopped walking. Yash nearly collided with me.

"Kagome?"

"Something else is in here," I whispered. "Something with power. Do you feel it?"

Up ahead, Shippo had stopped walking too, and he turned to face us, a small smile curving his lips. "Recognize where we are, Kagome?"

I was already studying the dark alcove, trying to figure out that very thing. My eyes were immediately drawn to a bookshelf that sat several feet away on the opposite side of a small table. A thick book on the bottom row was emitting a faint pink glow, giving off just enough light to illuminate the title.

_Lost Japan._

Shippo moved forward, following my gaze, and plucked the book from the shelf. His foxfire died and the room went dark for a moment.

"What is it?" Kikyo questioned.

Shippo plopped it on the table that I'd sat at months ago, slid a practiced claw between the pages, and flipped the book open. The glow of the pages lit his face, outlining the sharp edges of his cheekbones.

"It's our map."

"I thought you said you knew where my sword was, _Shippo,_" Inuyasha growled from somewhere in the darkness. "Why do we need a damn map?"

The fox demon's features had gone serious as his claw tip traced the page in a complex design. "I move the sword around every few years. And this is the map I use to mark where I've hidden it." His finger quit moving across the page and the book suddenly flared a bright blue. Seconds later, the stillness of the library was rent by a sharp shattering sound.

I held perfectly still, waiting for something to happen.

After a few moments of strained silence, the fox demon straightened and planted his hands on his hips. "Now then," he said in satisfaction, "let's get going."

He hefted the book and summoned another orb of blue fire before starting down a different line of shelves.

"What?" I glanced at the others in confusion. "What just happened? I don't understand."

Yash was standing closest to me, and he shrugged in response. My eyes found Kikyo's and she shook her head.

"He broke a concealment spell," Koga's voice intoned. He'd started walking and I lengthened my stride to catch up with him.

"So he had a spell on that book?"

Koga nodded and continued to stalk forward in the dark, his blue eyes flashing sideways to meet mine. "That and something else."

My heart sped up a notch. "Something else?"

Koga's eyes slid back to focus on what was in front of him. "That shattering noise," he mumbled. "He broke another spell in a different location. The spell linked the book and whatever else he had hidden, so when he broke the concealing spell on the book, he broke the concealing spell on the other thing too."

"Hmm," I said thoughtfully, chewing on my lip, trying to recall whether Rea had covered that sort of thing in our lessons. _No wonder he wouldn't let me leave the library with that thing._

"It's just an extra precaution," Shippo said from a few feet ahead. "You can't find this door without finding the book and removing the spell on it first."

He'd stopped walking and I realized that we were indeed standing in front of a door that I'd never seen before. "This sword sure has a lot of protection. What's the big deal?" I mused aloud.

"Let's just say, we don't want it in the wrong hands."

"It only works in _my _hands," Inuyasha growled.

"It works _best_ in your hands, but it'll still work for anyone else too," Shippo shot back. "Remember when Sesshomaru got a hold of it?"

Inuyasha glanced away. "Keh. He's my half-brother. Of course it worked for him."

"Regardless, it's a powerful weapon. A lot of demons would steal it just to know how it was made. Now, stand back." Shippo reached forward and laid a hand on the door as though he were testing it for something. When he was satisfied, he gripped the knob and pulled it open. The musty scent of dank air and dirt assaulted my nose immediately, and I got the feeling that this place had been dormant for years.

Inuyasha was the first to slip through the doorway, and I could hear the faint sounds of him searching the dark room for his sword.

"It's not _here_, Shippo."

_What?_

I stepped into the room after Koga, who'd followed after Shippo. Blue light danced against four stone walls, revealing cracks, mildew, and overall, a very small room. Yash pushed in behind me and his chest was practically pressed against my back. I tried to keep a measure of space between us, but there was really nowhere else to go. Shippo's tails practically filled half the room.

"Of course it's not here," the fox demon said before shoving _Lost Japan_ into Inuyasha's chest and pushing him back against a wall, out of the way. Shippo crouched without a word of explanation and placed one palm flat to the dirt floor, the other still holding his blue fire and providing light. His sea-green eyes slid closed and his lips moved in a silent incantation. I waited patiently along with everybody else, feeling the pressure of power building up against my mind. Several long seconds later, the earth crumbled beneath Shippo's hand, and a hole yawned down into more mildew-ey darkness.

Great.

The lithe fox demon stood and wiped his hand against his pants. "The Tetsusaiga is down there."

Inuyasha's nose twitched and his golden eyes widened. "That scent…," he trailed.

"I thought you might recognize it."

Koga sniffed the air too. "It smells like the Bone Eater's Well."

"It would," Shippo replied, "seeing as Mistress Centipede was the last demon to have her bones thrown in there."

Inuyasha cocked his head thoughtfully. "Then…this is the scent of Mistress Centipede?"

"Uh huh."

"But she's dead."

Shippo smirked and pointed to the hole. "Don't worry. She didn't come back to life or anything. The scent is just from when she used to live here."

"Live here?"

"Um, yeah," Shippo said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "She was a centipede. She lived underground. In fact, she built enough tunnels down there to make a friggin' labyrinth. It's really great for hiding stuff."

Inuyasha stared at him with no expression. "Let me get this straight," he said calmly. "You hid my sword in a demon centipede's 550 year old lair?"

Shippo nodded and I could practically feel Inuyasha's temper spike.

"What the hell?! Are you crazy?!" the half-demon exploded. "What if one of the tunnels collapsed and you couldn't get to the sword? It better be safe and sound Shippo, or so help me—"

"Relax, Inuyasha," the kitsune said in annoyance. "I think I deserve a little credit here. Kaede spelled the walls years ago, so none of them are unstable. She also helped me map the whole thing out. All of the tunnels intersect more than once, so if one _did_ happen to collapse, there is still a way to get to the Tetsusaiga."

Inuyasha scowled and shoved the book back at Shippo. "Just get me to my sword, Shippo."

The fox demon rolled his eyes and then dropped through the hole, taking the light with him. Inuyasha followed soon after. Before I could ask how long this journey was going to take them, Koga disappeared into the hole too.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Yash called after him.

"To find the Tetsusaiga, dog breath, what do you think?" his voice echoed back.

"Dammit," Yash growled as made his way toward the gaping hole in the floor.

I reached forward and grabbed his bicep before he could drop out of sight. "You're going too?" I tried very hard to ignore the way his muscles tightened under my fingers.

"Somebody's got to keep an eye on him. He's a prisoner, remember?"

"Right. Well, then I'm going too." Before he could protest I turned back to face Kikyo, Sango, and Miroku. "I think you guys should stay up here," I said. "We'll need somebody to watch the entrance."

Sango nodded. "That's fine. Be careful down there, Kagome."

"We'll keep things covered up here," Miroku added.

I nodded and then stepped back into the darkened room. Suddenly, the small space lit up with a bright pink glow, and I glanced over my shoulder at Kikyo. The light grew brighter as she walked into the room after me.

"I want to come too," she said quietly.

"Um…I think we have plenty of people going, Kikyo." I lowered my voice. "Besides, Sango and Miroku are perfectly capable, but we really need somebody with more experience guarding our backs."

Kikyo stared at me for a moment, looking as though she was about to protest further, but then her eyes darkened in understanding. "Fine. I'll stay."

I smiled faintly and lowered myself toward the hole.

"Kagome…"

"Yeah?"

"Be careful." I raised my head in surprise, but Kikyo had already turned and was leaving the room, taking the faint light with her.

"Thanks," I mumbled softly.

Stealing her idea, I lit my hands with the glow of my powers and then let myself fall into the dark hole.

-End—

* * *

**Random question:** Has anyone ever thought about what Inuyasha would look like trying to use a cell phone? I mean, his ears are _on top_ of his head… Just take a moment to picture that scenario. Are you laughing yet? Because I am. Haha!

Anyways, I had to break this chapter into two, because I was getting close to 8,000 words, so the next chapter is written. Expect a quick update!

Oh, and Merry Christmas! :)

-_RedThread_


	41. The Crystal Cave

I wanted to have this posted by Saturday, but I kept adding and tweaking things. So now my original 4,000 word chapter is up to 7,112 words.

…Yeah. I added _a lot_.

But anyways, go forth. Read. Enjoy. And leave a review!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha**

* * *

Chapter 41: The Crystal Cave

-Start-

It was about an 8-foot drop, and I landed with a quiet thud, crouched on the balls of my feet. My eyes immediately darted to the left and right, searching for any sign of the guys.

Nothing but darkness greeted me from either direction.

_Jerks. They could've waited for a couple of minutes._

I targeted their aura somewhere to my left and took off at a quick pace, hoping that they hadn't gone too far. I really didn't like the idea of navigating a dark, unknown maze by myself. I hadn't gotten a clear look at the map, but for Shippo to need one, that meant that this place had to be massive.

Not long after I'd started to run, my foot crunched on something that nearly sent me sprawling. I paused long enough to see what it was, lowering my hand to the ground in order to better illuminate the area.

The moment my brain registered what I was looking at, I gasped and shot forward, away from the pile of bones I was standing in. I turned to stare, fascinated despite myself, and felt my heart rate kick up a notch when I spotted two human skulls among the mess.

_Please tell me these were victims of Mistress Centipede and not a couple of unlucky explorers who got lost down here. _Not that either option was good. I just hated to think that getting lost meant dying alone in the dark. I didn't have any food, or water, or first aid—

_But you have a cell phone,_ my mind intoned helpfully.

My shoulders slumped in relief as I traced the familiar outline in my pocket. _Right,_ I sighed_. Should I get hopelessly lost or separated from the others, I'll simply call someone and tell them to come save me. Pronto._

I straightened and continued down the dark passage, being more wary of where I placed my feet. The tunnel began to curve, and as I rounded the corner, the faint glow of Shippo's foxfire came into view.

The small band of youkai and hanyou turned at the sound of my approach and I slowed to a walk as I neared them. "Thanks a lot for waiting. I appreciate it," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

"No problem." Koga answered smartly. I threw him a dirty look, and he shrugged. "It probably would have helped if we'd known you were coming."

I directed my heated stare at Yash this time.

"What?" he said defensively. "I thought you were right behind me."

"Liar," I muttered as I stepped past him, drawing even with Shippo and Inuyasha. "How much farther?" I questioned.

Shippo answered without glancing up from his map. "Three more miles."

I arched a brow. _Three more **miles? **_"Just how far do these tunnels go?"

"The outermost tunnels form a twenty mile circuit from end to end."

_Woah. Definitely don't want to get lost down here._

We'd reached a fork in the road and Shippo immediately headed toward the left entrance. Inuyasha prowled after him impatiently, a scowl on his face. I fell back behind him, studying his rigid shoulders and clenched fists. Considering all that had happened tonight, I'd say he was handling this whole situation pretty well. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to wake up 550 years in the future. It probably would be too much for my mind to handle.

I was abruptly struck with a pressing question, one I'd been keen to ask from the moment Inuyasha mentioned his sword.

"Inuyasha?" I queried tentatively.

His ear flicked toward me. "Yeah?"

"Um…how exactly are you planning to kill Naraku?"

I was suddenly under the impression that everyone in the group had their ears perked, waiting for his response. Inuyasha continued forward in silence for a while and I wondered if maybe he didn't know the answer himself. We'd reached a small clearing that had four different tunnels branching off of it, and it was several moments after we'd started down the third one from the left that he spoke.

"Has the Jewel been tainted?"

"Yes," I answered, picking my way over another suspicious pile that contained a miscellany of god knew what. "It has."

"The entire thing?"

"Well…" I took the time to explain the current situation regarding the Shikon no Tama, and how Naraku was probably searching for me right that moment in an effort to gain that last shard. Inuyasha traded a look with Shippo, and I tilted my head in question. "Do you have any idea what we're supposed to do at this point?"

"First, we have to find a way to purify the Jewel," Inuyasha elaborated.

Shippo's eyes darted down to his map, and then back up, searching the darkness as he spoke. "The best way to do that is probably to purify the shard we have and then fuse it with the rest of the Jewel."

Inuyasha nodded and I chewed my bottom lip in thought. _Of course. Purifying the Jewel makes sense. _"But what happens after that?" I said aloud.

Inuyasha's face grew dark and a growl started low in his chest. "I'm not sure. Knowing how the bastard survived the first time would probably help a lot though."

Koga cleared his throat and I turned to stare back at him. That was his story to tell. The wolf demon opened his mouth to say something, and then froze mid-step, eyes wide. I cocked my head, and then stiffened, noticing it too.

Something was down here with us.

We'd all stopped walking now, everybody aware of the strange presence. Without even realizing what we were doing, we backed ourselves into a tight circle, so that our backs were guarded and every direction of the tunnel had somebody watching it.

I let my powers out, attempting to pinpoint the exact location of the unfriendly aura. Something about it was strangely familiar. "It's heading straight toward us from that direction," I said, pointing to our left, the way we had just come.

We waited expectantly, poised for whatever it was that was about to come into our view. Several long minutes passed and nothing appeared, though the faint sound of skittering became apparent even to my human ears. I whipped my head side to side, searching for the source of the noise. Had I been wrong about its location? Was it coming from the opposite direction?

I checked again and frowned. "It's … the aura is right here," I said in confusion. "Right where we're standing."

The males shifted uneasily, no doubt sensing the pressure of the aura too. We all froze for a moment, listening.

The skittering sound had stopped completely.

It was Yash who thought to glance up first. I felt his body tense beside mine and then he was moving.

Correction.

_We_ were moving.

He'd wrapped an arm around my waist and yanked me forward, letting out a strangled yell at the same time. "Move!"

The last part of the word was drowned under the sound of a small explosion and then falling rocks. He and I landed hard, rolling so that my stomach was pressed to the ground and his body was layered on top of mine. I curled in on myself as pieces of rock continued to rain down from the ceiling, thinking about nothing but protecting my head.

Yash grunted as a particularly large chunk of stone crashed down next to us, scraping his arm. I flinched as something nicked my ankle, and tried to curl up further. I was suddenly hit with the terrifying notion that we were being buried alive beneath all of this rubble, and I began to tremble. I did _not_ like the idea of that.

The rock fall lasted for several long minutes, and it wasn't until it had become completely silent that I opened my squinched closed eyes and raised my head. It was too dark to see anything, and Yash was a heavy weight on my back, pinning me down.

For a moment I was sure that he'd been knocked unconscious, but then he coughed and shifted in an effort to get off of me.

"Are you okay?" he rasped. The sound of stirring rocks accompanied his movements, and I felt a sudden weight roll off of my ankle.

"I'm not sure," I answered, swallowing a mouthful of the dust that still floated in the air. My ankle was starting to throb as well as a few spots on my arms where I'd scraped the ground in an effort to shield my head. I raised myself up and lit my hands so that we could see the extent of the damage. I stared down at my swollen ankle for half a second before glancing up at Yash, who was sitting back on his knees, studying me.

I jolted forward, forgetting all about my own injury. "Oh my God! Are you okay?!"

His white hair was streaked with red, due to a large gash on his forehead that was leaking copious amounts of blood. He looked slightly dazed and I could tell from the vacant look in his eyes that he was probably fighting to stay conscious. My first instinct was to staunch the bleeding, and having no bandages, I grabbed the hem of my shirt and ripped a portion of it off before leaning forward to press it against his brow.

He hissed at the contact and immediately raised a hand to touch the wound. I slapped it down and then worked to tie the strip of fabric around his head so that the blood would quit dripping into his eyes.

"I'm okay," he grumbled.

"You are _not_ okay," I said sternly, hands shaking as I attempted to secure the makeshift bandage. The blood was already soaking through the thin fabric and dripping down his face again. Underneath the streaks of red and smudges of dirt, his skin was deathly white. _Too much blood! _Without another thought I reached down and pulled the rest of my shirt over my head.

"What are you doing?" he questioned frantically, as though my movement was what jolted him back to reality.

"You're losing too much blood," I stated breathlessly, as I balled up my t-shirt and began dabbing at the gash. "God, aren't you supposed to heal fast? Why aren't your healing abilities kicking in yet?"

"They would if you'd give them a chance! Calm down, Kagome. And stop stripping! I'm fine." He reached up and grabbed my wrists, pulling my hands, as well as the bloody remnants of my shirt, away from his forehead.

My gaze flicked from the wound to his eyes, and already I could tell they looked clearer, more aware. The panicky rhythm of my heart began to slow and I sagged in his grip, leaning forward to press my forehead against his shoulder.

"Okay. I'll stop," I mumbled against the dirty cloth of his shirt. "Just…give me a sec. I think I'm freaking out enough for the both of us."

After a couple moments during which I gathered my wits, I heaved in a breath and leaned back, this time studying his wound without attacking it. I smoothed his bangs out of his eyes and tilted his head back, so that I could judge how badly he'd been cut. A large lump was already forming around the laceration from where the rock had struck, and I knew, even with his hanyou healing, he'd probably be sporting a nice size bruise tomorrow.

"Does it hurt?" I asked him gently.

He sucked in a breath as I probed his bloody skin with my fingers, testing for any telltale cracks in the bone. "Hell yes, it hurts. Quit poking at it!"

I released his head and sat back on my haunches, still worried. "I just feel like it's taking too long to stop bleeding."

He shifted and swiped at a trail of blood that was dripping over his eyebrow. "New moon is tomorrow. I'm not at my best at the moment."

At the mention of the new moon my thoughts strayed to another hanyou. "What happened to everybody else?" I began to look around, shining my light as far as it would go. From what I could see, the tunnel roof had collapsed behind us. Farther ahead, the passage continued on, unaffected. We were trapped on the opposite side of the way we'd come earlier…which meant we were also trapped on the opposite side of the exit.

Before I could further process this thought, I sensed movement from somewhere to my right. I allowed my power to expand, and sagged in relief when I sensed that it wasn't a malicious being attempting to attack us.

"Koga?"

More rubble fell and then I could make out his familiar features as he crawled from under a ledge.

"Kagome? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I answered. "What about you?"

He began to pick his way towards us, obviously favoring one leg. "I've been better."

"Do you have any idea what just happened?"

He shook his head and settled on a rock next to Yash and I, unfurling one of his legs to study a nasty scrape. "No clue. I _do_ know that the explosion was caused by that…thing that was above us, though. I got lucky and managed to dive under that ledge at the last second." He glanced up, meeting my eyes. "Any sign of the other two?"

I shook my head and closed my eyes for a moment. "They're on the other side. Both alive." I frowned and pressed my powers further, searching. "I can't sense that aura from before though. It's gone."

"It's dead," Yash's voice informed me. I opened my eyes and stared at him, wondering if he'd managed to catch a glimpse of whatever 'it' was. He'd scooted so that he was resting against a large slab of stone, his head lolling back in an expression of weariness. I faintly wondered how long it'd been since he'd gone to sleep. "I guess technically it was never alive though," he continued.

"Huh?" I questioned. "What do you mean?"

"Whatever that thing was, it wasn't a demon. It was some kind of machine. Shaped like a spider." He closed his eyes and thought for a moment. "It looked similar to a box with little legs coming off of it." Yash shook his head in frustration and then opened his eyes only to stare at the ground. "I don't know…whatever the hell it was, it was obviously made to reach us and then self destruct."

Koga was nodding thoughtfully.

"But… I was able to sense it," I said. "How could it be a machine, yet have an aura?"

"It must have been animated."

Yash and I raised our brows in unison, silently asking the wolf demon to continue.

"Naraku has always been able to project pieces of his soul into objects. Back in the day, his favorite way to torment people was by using things he called "puppets." These puppets allowed him to attack demons without actually being near the battle."

Koga bowed his head and continued to muse aloud. "He was only experimenting with the art of soul projection again when I was freed from him, but he must have found a method he liked." The wolf youkai raised his eyes and met our gazes. "I fear with the technology of this age, he's going to be able to cause quite a bit of damage."

"You're positive Naraku sent that… bug?" Yash asked, pinning him with an intense stare.

"It was Naraku," I answered for him. "The aura was familiar; I just couldn't place it." I slid back against a rock, mirroring the dog hanyou across from me. "I guess wasn't expecting Naraku to find me down here."

"He's moving quicker than we expected," Yash murmured. "He must have been able to locate you, Kagome."

"But how? I've got—" I froze, grasping at my torso, searching for my lock necklace. "Shit." I slammed my head back against the rock as realization hit me. "I forgot to put it back on after we went to the museum." I fished the object out of my pocket and held it up. This was the longest amount of time I'd gone without wearing it since the Shikon had been removed from my body. Obviously it was exactly what Naraku had been waiting for. He must have had even his people in Japan on the lookout for my aura.

"If I put it on, we won't have any light. I can't use my powers while wearing it or it'll break the concealment spell," I said aloud.

Koga shrugged. "No point in trying to hide your aura now. He knows we're trapped down here."

"Then we have to try and get in touch with Shippo and Inuyasha," I said. "We've got to get out of here before Naraku shows up." I wasn't stupid. Yes, I was ready to kill him, but we were in no condition to take him on right now. With an almost fully formed, tainted Shikon no Tama in his possession, we stood no chance against Naraku.

At least not without that last shard.

I stood, ready to start moving rocks so we could get to the other side of this barrier, but instantly collapsed back to the ground with a loud whimper. Both of the boys moved toward me in alarm.

"What's wrong?"

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," I said with a wave of my hand, hoping to calm the suddenly anxious males. "A rock landed on my ankle during the explosion, so it's a little sore." I moved my hands from where I was cupping my joint. The light revealed that my ankle was swollen to nearly three times its original size. _Great. How come it's only when you notice a wound that it starts hurting? _I was very aware of how badly my ankle was throbbing now.

Yash shifted closer so he could examine my injury as well. "Can you heal it?" he asked softly.

"Yeah," I murmured. "But I'd rather not use that much energy if Naraku is on his way." I rotated my ankle, gently testing its limits. "I'll be fine. I just need to be careful about how much weight I put on it when I stand up."

Yash was frowning, but he didn't argue. I stood again, using a nearby rock for leverage, and began to study the solid wall of rubble that was blocking our way. I limped forward a few steps and placed my hands on a rock, pushing against it with all my might.

I could tell the rock wasn't very impressed with my efforts, because it didn't so much as budge.

If we were planning on digging our way out, it was going to take a while.

"Um…Not trying to make this awkward or anything," Koga said from his perch nearby, "but why are you half naked, Kagome?"

_Huh? _I glanced down at myself and felt my face flame. I was shirtless, covered only by my black pushup bra, and suddenly very, very aware of the gazes from the two men behind me. The light emanating from my hands immediately blinked out and I squatted to the ground, covering myself.

"Here," Koga said, sliding from his seat and padding toward me through the darkness. He dropped a warm piece of clothing on my head. "It's dirty, but it isn't as bloody as his."

I murmured a 'thank you', and then quickly slipped the shirt over my head, breathing in his scent, despite myself.

With a thought, my hands were reignited once again, and I stood up, this time decently clad in Koga's black t-shirt. Now the only problem was the fact that _Koga_ was gloriously _unclad_ from the waist up.

I settled my hands on my hips, covering my embarrassment with bossiness. Now was not the time to be drooling over the way my ex-boyfriend's abdominal muscles rippled as he moved. "Any ideas about how we're getting out of here?"

Koga already had his cell phone out, his brow creased in annoyance. "No service down here."

I pulled mine out and grimaced at the cracks that had spread across the surface. "Crap. I can't even get mine to the call screen." The touchscreen was beyond help and not responding to my touches at all. "Yash?"

He held up his phone. "Dead."

I turned back to the rocks, searching for a hole, anything. "Inuyasha! Shippo!" I yelled. "Can you hear me?" We stood in silence, listening, but no sound was made save for the echo of my own voice.

I yelled some more, and Koga joined me, but after a while, it was obvious that nobody from the other side was going to respond.

I hobbled over to a rock and sat down, bracing my forehead in my hands. "What are we going to do?"

"Didn't Shippo say that all of these tunnels connect?" Yash queried. "Maybe we can find a different way to get to the exit."

I shifted uncomfortably and realized that my stomach was starting to growl. It'd been hours since I'd had anything to eat. "He also said that these tunnels go on for miles. It's going to take us forever to find a way out."

"Yeah, well. It beats sitting here and doing nothing. Especially if Naraku is coming."

"But what if the others went to get help and manage to get through all of this, only to find we left?" I said waving toward the fallen wall of rock.

"Knowing the mutt, they're going to try and find that sword before they find help. No doubt he'll try to use it to blast his way through," Koga growled. "But who knows how long that search will take, even with Shippo guiding him. We've got to move and find a decent spot to defend ourselves. If Naraku is really on his way here, we'll need every advantage we can get."

I sighed and raised my head, knowing that I was being outvoted on the matter. "Okay. Let's go. But I won't be able to walk very fast."

Yash pushed himself off the ground and stretched, testing his muscles. Other than the horrible slash on his forehead and a few cuts and scrapes on his arms, he didn't look the worse for wear. "Here," he said gruffly, striding toward me. "Get on."

He turned and crouched just below where I was sitting on the rock, offering his back to me. I hesitated only a moment and then gave in to that tiny, selfish voice in the back of my mind that was urging me to milk this situation for all that it was worth.

Without a word of complaint I leaned forward and pressed my torso into his back. He stood and reached behind, hooking his arms around my thighs. I draped my arms around his neck, got myself comfortable, and then turned to glance at Koga.

His gaze was dark.

"Ready?" I asked.

He nodded and took a limping step forward. Yash hunched over and started after him.

* * *

I don't know how long we walked. All of these tunnels looked exactly the same if you asked me. But, of course, nobody did. In fact, none of us spoke for a long while. I spent most of the time turning the recent events over and over in my mind, wondering how exactly that thing even got down here.

_Did it sneak past Kikyo and the others? What if they've been injured?_

There were two other possibilities floating through my mind regarding how that machine had gotten into the tunnels.

One: There might be another entrance or either it created another entrance.

Two: Kikyo let it in.

Option Two was one I didn't want to think about. _I mean, there's no possible way Kikyo is secretly on Naraku's side, right? _But as I studied the toned back of the wolf youkai walking just in front of Yash, I knew that I couldn't entirely throw that theory out.

My stomach growled again, and I curled further against Yash's back in an attempt to stifle the sound. Which was pointless, considering the company I was in at the moment.

A couple of minutes later, my stomach let out another yowl, and I groaned along with it. "How long do you think we'll be stuck down here?"

"Why?" Yash asked. "Hungry?"

I thumped him across the head, knowing from his tone of voice that he was smirking. "Yes, actually. I am. And I'd rather not starve to death in some God forsaken tunnel, thank you."

I could feel the rumble of Yash's laughter through his sides, and I clamped my legs around him.

"Oi!"

"Stop laughing! I'm serious!" But despite my words, I was trying really hard not to smile.

Koga was looking over his shoulder, watching us out of the corner of his eye, a strange expression on his face. I couldn't tell if he was amused or annoyed.

"But seriously," I said, loosening my hold on Inuyasha's waist. "How long do you think we've been down here?"

"I'd say about two hours," the wolf demon answered.

"And how long do you think it will be before Naraku makes an appearance?" I'd gone still, completely serious now.

Koga turned and stared back into the darkness in front of him. "Soon."

I nodded and let my forehead settle against Yash's shoulder.

"Keh," he scoffed softly. "Naraku won't touch you, Kagome."

I lolled my head to the side, secretly studying his face. _I'm stuck in a labyrinth, on the verge of starvation, thirsty as hell, and yet this is the happiest I've been in a long time. _I tightened my arms around Yash's neck and brought my mouth to the side of his cheek.

"Thank you, Inuyasha," I breathed.

I could feel his muscles tense in surprise, and I pulled back so that I could see his face. He caught my gaze for half a second and then quickly turned his head away, trying to hide the red that was spreading across his cheeks.

"It's whatever," he mumbled.

I laughed and snuggled closer to the heat of his body, trying to keep thoughts of Naraku from entering my mind.

Because I was certain, if it came down to surrendering myself to Naraku or watching him hurt these two guys, I'd give myself up in a heartbeat.

* * *

I didn't think I could possibly do it, but at some point, I must have dozed off. The next thing I knew, I was being shifted off of Yash's back and laid down on the floor.

"Are we out?" I asked groggily.

It was a stupid thing to say, because it was pitch black and cold. We were definitely still underground.

I focused inward for a second and called my powers forth, shedding some light in the area around us. I nearly yelped at the sight before me.

Yash was no longer Yash.

I mean, he was, but he wasn't.

He'd reverted to his human form. I'd seen him as a human before, of course, due to the fact that he, along with every other demon, had been forced to wear a Human Ring while we were in school. But dark hair and dark eyes were not what I'd been expecting, and so, suffice to say, I was a little startled.

"Can't see in the dark anymore," he complained. "Human eyes are so damned weak."

Koga was standing a few feet away, hands on his hips, eyes probing a dark tunnel that branched to the left of us. "You guys hear that?" he asked, tilting his head and holding very still.

I tensed immediately, expecting to hear the same sort of skittering sound we'd encountered earlier. That or something heralding Naraku's approach.

But the sound I heard fit neither of these categories. "Water?" I said questionably.

Koga sniffed and strode forward. "Water," he confirmed.

Yash helped me stand and I leaned against him for support as we hobbled after the wolf youkai. My hands illuminated the way and suddenly the shadows pulled back as we entered a rather large room.

"What—What is this place?" It was huge. Roughly the size of a football field. The ceiling was so high it disappeared into darkness, and just a few yards away a waterfall was beating its way down a cliff side. The water appeared to be flowing straight out of the wall, falling about 100 feet, and then pooling brightly at the bottom.

That was pretty mesmerizing, but it was the green jewels that left me speechless. The entire room was lined with what looked to be huge slabs of crystal, each glowing an eerie green light. My hand fell to my side, the faint pink of my powers disappearing, unneeded.

"This is a natural cave," Koga said as he walked toward the waterfall. "It was probably here before Mistress Centipede came along." He squatted next to the pool of water and leaned forward sniffing. "Fresh water," he told us. "It's safe to drink."

_Say no more._

In an instant I was tugging Yash forward, making my way toward the glowing green pool. I knelt next to Koga, eager to soothe my parched throat, but waited until he'd taken the first sip. After a moment, when there seemed to be no ill side effects afflicting Koga, I leaned forward and cupped my hands in the water, drinking as much of the liquid as I could.

I decided in that instant that it was the best tasting water I'd ever had. Cold, clear, refreshing; I leaned down for more.

Yash watched me splash around a bit before reluctantly scooping his hands into the water and following suit.

"What's with the glowing crystals?" he asked a second later.

"No idea," Koga replied, wiping his chin. I retreated from the edge of the pool and studied the wolf demon as he stood and approached a cluster of crystals. Already his limp had diminished, and the terrible scrape on his shin had healed. I spared a glance down at my own injury and was quite surprised to see that the swelling had gone down greatly. Could I have unconsciously used my powers to help nurse my ankle while I was asleep?

My thoughts shifted as I watched Koga place a cautious hand on one of the huge quartzes. We were all waiting for some sort of reaction, I think, but nothing happened. "I guess these things are just some sort of stalagmite that glows in the dark," Koga ventured, rubbing his hand against the surface.

My stomach growled. "Are they edible?"

The guys snorted.

"Don't think so."

"Doubt it."

"How are you guys _not hungry_?" I complained.

Yash was lying flat on his back, black hair pinned beneath him, arms behind his head, looking for all the world like he was casually reclining and completely comfortable. "You've just got to keep your mind off of it, Kagome." I leaned over him, inspecting his head wound. It looked much better than it had a couple of hours ago, but it had yet to heal completely.

"And how do you suggest I do that?"

"I could think of a few things," Koga said from behind me. His sudden proximity and tone of voice sent shivers up my spine. He was so close I could feel the heat radiating off his bare skin. Yash sent him a dark glare over my shoulder.

I turned so that I was lying flat on my back next to Yash, staring up at the shadowy ceiling, and changed the subject. "Why do you think Naraku hasn't shown up yet? It's been hours. I mean, it's at least sunrise since you're human, right?" I questioned turning my head toward Yash.

"Maybe he's got to travel a long way to get here," the dog hanyou responded.

Koga settled himself near us, his back against a green crystal, and the door within eyesight. "In any case, it's probably best if we stay here and rest. We'll be able to defend ourselves well enough with only one entrance," he stated. "Plus there's water."

I trembled and turned onto my side, pulling my legs close to my body. My stomach was full of liquid now, but underneath that feeling, a biting hunger was still gnawing at me. That and I was starting to get freezing cold.

I had on a t-shirt and shorts. I'd dressed with summer in mind, not freezing cold underground caves.

My body shuddered again and I groaned in misery, realizing that I was shaking hard enough for my teeth to be chattering. Yash turned his head to stare at me, lifting one dark brow in question.

"Cold?"

"Wh-what makes you th-think that?"

He rolled his eyes and turned his entire body toward me so that we were facing each other. "Well, I can't do anything about it, unless, I mean… Do you want to spoon or something?"

I stared at him a moment, trying to judge whether or not he was joking, but the moment he saw me seriously considering his offer, a wicked gleam appeared in his eye. He held his arms out, beckoning.

"You know you want to…," he smirked.

God help me. How did I end up in these kinds of situations?

I had the one guy I'd been in love with for most of my life offering to spoon with me, while my ex sat nearby watching. Shirtless. Which was making it very hard for me not to ogle him.

To top it all off, we were trapped in a damn cave with sparkly rocks, waiting for an evil bastard to launch an attack on us.

Yash must have grown impatient, or seen my eyes flash over to Koga, because the next thing I knew, he was rolling me over and pulling me tightly against his chest, banding his arms across my stomach.

The heat from his body immediately transferred through to my back and I couldn't help but sigh in contentment.

_Mmmm…._

I closed my eyes and felt my body relax into his.

_Much better._

My eyelids snapped open at the sudden sensation of somebody touching my arm. Koga was squatting in front of me, his hands gently moving mine from where I'd draped them over Yash's.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Yash growled from behind me. I could feel his chest thrum with his words.

Koga smirked. "I'm cold too."

He laid himself on the ground and turned over, pressing the expanse of his bare back against my chest and moving my hands so that they were wrapped around his waist.

And, dear Lord, now I was spooning with both of them.

Also, Koga was not cold in the slightest. In fact, he was hot as a furnace. "How are we supposed to watch for Naraku if we're all on the ground like this?" I asked weakly.

"Got it covered," Koga answered. He was facing the doorway. "Just close your eyes, and go to sleep. Humans need to rest."

Yash grumbled behind me, knowing the wolf youkai's words had been a slight aimed at him.

_How am I supposed to rest like this?_ I'd tensed the moment Koga had joined us; my fingers were still against the hard muscles of his abs, and I was trying not to inhale and exhale too deeply because every time I did, my breasts pressed against him in a way that made me uncomfortably aware of how close we were.

I guess I could have said something at any point, but…Koga was _really_ warm. And, though I hated to admit it because I so often had to remind them that I could protect myself, I felt safe between these two guys.

I had also conveniently managed to forget how hungry I was.

So really, this was a win-win-win situation I was in.

Yash twined is legs through mine and pulled me even closer into his body. In response, Koga meshed our fingers together.

This was also quickly getting ridiculous.

And besides that, my face was absolutely burning from the force of my blush.

I was definitely going to say something if either one of them decided to do anything outrageous just to piss the other off, but they both seemed to relax, and suddenly it was quiet in the cave, besides the rhythmic pounding of the waterfall.

After several minutes of this newfound peacefulness, I decided I'd better sleep while I could, despite my slightly awkward situation. With Naraku on the way and no sign of the others coming to our rescue, I was going to need all the strength I could get.

* * *

I was jarred awake by the sudden urge to pee.

I stared at the back of Koga's head for a minute, trying to gain my bearings, and then slowly realized that I was the only one conscious.

_Ha. _I listened to Koga's even breathing. _Even demons need to rest._

I carefully extricated myself from between the two guys, being rather proud that I managed to accomplish such a feat without waking either of them, and made my way to a nearby cropping of large crystals.

Desperate times, called for desperate measures.

I squatted behind the glowing stones to relieve myself, but immediately tensed the moment I felt the pressure of an approaching aura.

_Damn your timing, Naraku. _

I quickly finished up, not wanting to be caught in such an awkward position when Naraku finally made his appearance, and sprinted back to the still sleeping boys.

"We've got company," I informed them, nudging them in the ribs to wake them up. "It's another one of those machines, I think." I focused on the aura as it continued to approach and decided that _yeah,_ it was definitely another one of Naraku's creations.

Koga was up in a flash, his blue eyes trained on the doorway. "Get back, Kagome." Before I could even protest, Yash grabbed my arm and hauled me toward the left side of the cave so that we weren't in view of the entrance.

We crouched behind some crystals and waited.

After a moment Koga cocked his head and began to walk toward the tunnel. "It stopped moving."

"Do you think it's a good idea to go out there?" I called after him. "What if it explodes again?"

He held his hand up in dismissal and continued to walk, quickly dropping out of sight.

_Idiot,_ I fumed.

Several minutes passed and everything remained quiet in the direction of the shadowy tunnel. Though I knew that Koga was still out there, I could also detect the presence of the machine still hovering around.

_What is he doing? _

Right as I was bout to start down the passageway myself, Koga came sprinting back into view.

"Gas!" he choked out.

"What?" Yash questioned.

"We're trapped in here and it's releasing some sort of-," he paused to cough, "gas."

I stared in horror as Koga sank to his knees, another cough wracking his body.

"What are we going to do?" I questioned anxiously. I could make out a sickly purple vapor slowly easing its way into our safe haven.

Yash was looking around, his dark eyes taking stock of everything in the cave. "The waterfall," he finally decided. "If we can get behind it, maybe the stream of water will the diffuse the gas enough to protect us."

I nodded and lunged toward Koga, putting my shoulder under his armpit and hoisting him to his feet. The purple mist was starting to fill the room at an alarming rate, decreasing our safe zone, and increasing the rate of my pulse. A panicky sort of awareness was taking over, and my instincts were urging me to drop the deadweight of Koga's body and sprint for the water in order to save myself.

But Yash grunted and helped me tote Koga toward the pool of liquid before I could make that awful decision.

I studied the waterfall almost frantically, my eyes darting in search of a ledge or indention behind it, but could find nothing. "We're going to have to swim behind it," I realized.

Yash was already wading in, dragging the wolf demon with him. I glanced over my shoulder to check the progress of the gas, and then quickly followed suit, splashing into the frigid water after the boys.

The fumes were about 20 yards away from the lip of the pool.

Koga's head was lolling forward, and I felt dread clench in my stomach. I could still tell that he was breathing, but I knew that whatever this stuff was, it was enough to knock out a full blown youkai.

Suddenly Yash and I seemed frail and very, very vulnerable.

We were human, and though I was a miko, my powers were useless against mere fumes. This wasn't something I could touch and purify.

It had taken less than 5 minutes for Koga to go down.

I was willing to bet it'd take half that time with Yash and me.

It was a tight fit behind the waterfall, but maybe that was a good thing. Yash was holding on to a small, rocky shelf jutting out of the cliff side, trying to keep Koga afloat at the same time.

"If this stuff knocks us out, we might drown," I said over the roar of the waterfall.

"We'll be fine," Yash retorted gruffly. "Just stay close to the running water."

I did as he ordered, but even as I stared at the oncoming wave of gas through the pouring stream, I knew our efforts were futile.

"You know," I said through chattering teeth and numb lips, "if we're about to drown, I should probably let you know tha-," I coughed on the word, lost the rhythm of my stroke and sank below the surface of the water. A strong arm pulled me up.

"Let me know what? Come on, Kagome, stay with me."

I wanted to. I really did. But my vision was starting to blur and my throat was growing tight as the gas eased its way across the water. I paddled weakly, knowing willpower alone was probably the only thing keeping me conscious.

I stared into Yash's dark eyes, studied the wet hair that was plastered to his head in curved, black lines.

His dark gaze drew me in, kept me steady, and I could feel my willpower flare up in one last desperate attempt to keep me functioning.

"I love you," I mumbled, using the last of that energy to form those words. I was vacantly aware that I couldn't feel my body anymore.

It was so cold, and I was so tired.

My eyes crossed, my vision blurred. Yash may have said something, but I wasn't sure.

And then the darkness came, and I was no longer aware of anything.

-End—

* * *

I have to admit, my Crystal Cave is based off of the Crystal Catacombs from Avatar: The Last Airbender. If any of you watched that series then you probably know exactly what I'm talking about. For those of you who have no clue, but want to see a picture, just go to Google images and type in 'Crystal Catacombs Ba Sing Se'. You'll get lots of pictures. )

Anyways, next chapter is outlined and in the works. Keep an eye out for an update.

Happy New Year!

-_RedThread_


	42. Trinkets

I have to get this chapter off my computer and onto this website. It's been sitting unfinished for far, far too long, and now that's it's finally complete, I'm ready to get it published and move on. So….as usual, sorry for the wait. Life and writer's block had its way with me once again.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha

* * *

Chapter 42: Trinkets

-Start-

I was in a cell with white walls, a white ceiling, and a white floor. No windows.

It was small.

Really small.

Cruelly small.

There wasn't even enough room to stand up or stretch out my legs, and _god_ were they starting to cramp.

I slammed my head back against the wall for the thousandth time, wondering what exactly Naraku had planned.

I'd been in this tiny room for several hours, not counting the time I had been knocked out.

My dirty clothes had been exchanged for a medical gown, and as I sat there banging my head against the wall I decided that Naraku's master plan was to drive me insane with boredom.

And probably laugh at my shame when I peed myself.

I _really_ needed to go to the bathroom, and even though I'd tried calling out, there was no activity or sign of life from the other side of my door.

I resigned myself to picking at the dry blood on my left arm, trying to distract my body from its discomfort with other thoughts.

_Plans of escape. That's what I should be thinking about._

But it was kind of hard to plan an escape when you didn't know where you were escaping _from. _I could be in an entirely different country for all I knew.

I groaned and slammed my head back again.

"Dammit, Naraku! I have to pee!"

The door in front of me slid away and I was suddenly face to face with a demon.

My head slammed back against the wall, this time in surprise, and my eyes darted over her form.

She had the face and torso of a human woman, but her lower body, from what I could see, was nothing but long, black-scaled muscle. A snake demon. A low-cut top reminiscent of something a belly dancer would wear covered her breasts. Her skin, darkly tanned and smooth, ran the length of her stomach and then faded into scale just below her hipbones.

While the presence of the demon herself was a shock, her form was not. I'd seen plenty of half-and-half youkai in public places. What really drew my attention was her hair. It was inky black and studded with an abundance of beads and small objects. It was a strange style that only she could pull off.

The small silver bangles on her top jingled softly as she leaned forward, slit-eyed gaze fixed on me in an unblinking stare.

My powers flared in response to her sudden proximity and she grinned warningly, pointed fangs glinting against her bottom lip.

"Don't even try it."

Her hand flashed out and gripped my arm. I recoiled from her hold, but she only tightened her fingers, quickly slipping a woven bracelet over my wrist. She synched it close I flinched as something pointy jabbed into my skin. I glared down at the sharp, white objects braided into the bracelet and then up at the she-demon.

"Bones," she informed me tilting her head toward the armlet. "Bones of a miko."

I tried to keep my face neutral and my voice steady. "I don't believe you."

She hissed in amusement. "And why not? What better way to subdue a miko's powers than with that of another?"

_Subdue?_

I called to my power, but there was no answering spark. I frowned, and narrowed my eyes. "Who _are_ you?"

She blinked, slow, calculating, for the first time since she'd appeared in front of me. "Humans call me Manasa, Goddess of Snakes."

_Goddess? _

I studied her tanned skin and dark hair, the design of her top. The way she talked suggested that Japanese wasn't her first language. She was probably some sort of demon from India.

Crap. _Please don't let me be in India._

"And what does the Goddess of Snakes want from _me?_" I asked cautiously.

She pulled back from my tiny prison and flicked her hand dismissively. "Naraku is the one who wants you, not I."

"Is he on his way?" I craned my head to the side, trying to see what was outside of my prison.

"You will go to him."

I frowned, considered arguing, and then decided that walking would probably be a good chance to stretch my legs and take stock of my surroundings. "Fine." I eased myself out of the tiny cubicle, and stood up on wobbly legs, hobbling after Manasa and sucking in air as tiny pinpricks of pain announced the return of blood to my feet.

_Oh crap._

"Wait," I said suddenly.

Manasa glanced back, a smooth black brow raised in question. She had the double-headed mark of an Indian Cobra between her shoulder blades.

"Bathroom first. Then Naraku."

Her eyes narrowed and she whipped the top portion of her body around until she was mere inches from my face. She'd moved faster than my eyes could follow. "Is that an order?" the snake demon hissed softly. I was suddenly under the impression that she was waiting for a certain answer.

"Uh… just a suggestion," I said weakly, casting my eyes downward in submission. Without my powers, I was just a normal human being. Antagonizing a so-called goddess was probably not a good plan.

I felt her pull away more than heard or saw her, and I chanced a glance upward again.

Her orange eyes were still fixed on my face, bangle clad arms crossed over her chest.

"You may use the bathroom, but you will make it quick, miko."

* * *

The bathroom had no windows either.

Everything was white and clinically clean.

I was starting to feel like a specimen in a laboratory.

Manasa glided down the white, windowless hallways, and I followed, trying to form a map in my head. But there were no signs on the doors, no unique decorations to remember. My hopes for escape were dwindling pretty fast.

"Here."

Manasa had stopped in front of a non-descript door and was holding it ajar, obviously waiting for me to pass through. I walked toward the room cautiously, peering into the darkened interior. My eyes were immediately drawn to the hospital bed that was illuminated beneath a set of white surgical lights.

"Come in, Kagome. It's rude to linger in the doorway."

My fists curled at the sound of his voice, but I stepped forward calmly, spine straight, chin up. Naraku was seated comfortably behind a large table that held an array of medical tools: scalpels, picks, scissors, needles, syringes. His face was in the shadows, and his dark eyes gleamed at me, seeming to have a light of their own. I stopped in front of the table and allowed my mouth to curl up in a smirk.

"The shard isn't inside of me, you know," I said gesturing toward the tools. "All of this is useless."

Naraku's expression didn't change. His hooded gaze slid past me to the demon behind. "Manasa...Leave." His tone brooked no argument.

She hissed in displeasure at the dismissal, but slithered through the door nonetheless. I ground my teeth and listened to the sound of the door as it clicked closed. I was locked in the room with a monster and had no powers or weapons at my disposal. Would he kill me once he realized that I was telling the truth and really didn't have the shard?

"Sit," he said.

"No," I replied.

His eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched. I was starting to annoy him. "Kagome?" he asked, his features smoothing out once more. "Why do you think I'm keeping you here?"

I stared at him, expressionless. _What kind of question is that? Isn't it obvious? _"You think I have the missing shard, right?"

Naraku stood in one fluid motion. His aura filled the room, a thick darkness that made me want to gag. My face remained stoic.

"Wrong," he whispered, stepping past the edge of the table and circling around me, so close I could feel the breath of his words ghost past my ear. "I know you don't have it." His tone was smooth, all knowing. My heartbeat kicked up a notch.

_Just spit it out, you damned bastard._ I seethed silently._ What do you __**want**__?_

I changed the subject. "What happened to Inuyasha and Koga?"

Naraku ceased his orbit and paused in front of me. My stomach roiled uncomfortably as I watched his thin lips twitch into a smile, the kind of smile one has when he recalls some vaguely pleasant memory. "Dead."

I didn't react. This was the response I'd been expecting.

But still….

Naraku's eyes cleared and he took a step toward me. I immediately stepped back. We continued in this fashion until the back of my knees came in contact with the hospital bed. "Sit. Down." My legs buckled at his tone of voice and I could feel the rough sheets of the bed chafe against my thighs as I scooted back.

"I'm going to ask you a few questions." He slapped a leather strap to each my wrists and walked back toward the table. My eyes flicked around the room, searching for something, anything that I could use to get myself out of this situation.

No windows.

No weapons.

No powers.

Naraku turned toward me once more, a scalpel glinting in his long fingers. "I suggest you answer them truthfully." He ran the tip of the blade over the pad of his thumb and a small drop of blood welled up, dripping to the floor.

One door.

One table.

Multiple sharp objects.

_Drip, drip, drip._

I was mesmerized by his blood.

Six scarlet drops.

Seven scarlet drops.

Eight scarlet drops.

And in the middle of the tiled floor, two feet from where my prone body was strapped to a hospital bed…

One drain.

* * *

An eternity later, I was returned to my cubicle.

This time I welcomed the small space. I pulled my legs close, cradled my ruined hands to my chest, and cried hysterically.

The severity of my situation was finally starting to dawn on me: I was going to be tortured for information. Information about Mr. Taisho and his army.

I hadn't revealed anything this time, didn't even cry out when he had scraped the flesh from my fingers, but I knew this was only the beginning. A small taste of what was to come. I wasn't going to be able to take days and days of this. And the longer I went without speaking, the more creative Naraku was bound to get.

I groaned in anger and fear, pressing my eye sockets onto my kneecaps, trying to hold myself together and force my brain to think.

How was I going to get out of here? What was I supposed to do?

_Think, Kagome, think!_

But I couldn't. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I was sure that this wasn't happening. That I would only have to stay in this place a night or two before Yash or Koga or Inuyasha or _somebody _came dashing in to save me. But this wasn't a movie, and it was probably pushing it to even believe that Koga and Yash had made it out of those caves alive.…

I quickly squashed that line of thinking. They'd made it out. Of course they did.

_Focus._

I was being held prisoner and tortured for information. I had to assume that no help was on the way, and that I was on my own to get myself through this nightmare.

So what was my first plan of action?

_Get a signal to the outside, _my mind immediately responded.

I had no clue where I was being held, but surely Mr. Taisho had people all around the world looking for Naraku. And if Naraku was found, so was I.

At that moment my stomach twisted in a weak attempt to remind me that it was well past time I eat.

I breathed deeply, blinking past my tears, inhaling the sweet scent of leather. I pulled back from my knees and stared down at the gnarled bracelet that encircled my wrist.

At this point my thoughts were zeroing in on whatever was within my line of vision. I stared at the bracelet in a trance-like state for a long time, my mind trying to make sense of things. Eventually, an idea began to take shape. Like silt settling at the bottom of a slow-moving stream, one small movement, one slight disturbance, and the whole thing was going to be scattered into oblivion.

If I was going to do it, I was going to have to be extremely careful.

_Alright then. _

I inhaled again, breathing in the sharp tang of the leather.

It smelled almost like jerky.

I raised it to my lips, sniffed once more, and then began to gnaw.

* * *

I don't know when I finally managed to fall asleep, and though I did, it wasn't very restful. I dozed on and off, falling unconscious and then jerking awake in alarm, my heart hammering and hands throbbing.

I was too paranoid to sleep.

And I had absolutely no concept of time.

At one point, Manasa appeared again and lead me to the bathroom (a different one this time) and then to a small room that contained one table and one chair. On the tabletop sat a bowl of rice, a cup of water, and a set of chopsticks, but my stomach was so empty I couldn't eat. I forced about three bites down anyway and then leaned back in my chair, carefully sipping the small cup of water that accompanied my extravagant dinner.

This all took place under the careful supervision of Manasa.

She studied me, and I discreetly returned the favor, peeking around the rim of the cup.

I kept my bracelet-clad wrist in my lap.

Once she realized that I wasn't going to eat anymore, the snake goddess ordered me to follow her, and I was once again folded into my tiny prison cell.

* * *

The next time Manasa appeared, it was to lead me back to Naraku.

My wounded hands ached as she shut the door and left me alone with him.

"Do you feel like talking today?" His tone was velvet over steel. An involuntary shiver shot up my spine.

I lifted my chin and stared him down, holding my silence.

"Well then," he said darkly. "Let's see how long you can keep this up."

* * *

Sleep.

Torture.

Cubicle.

Sleep.

Bathroom.

Eat.

Sleep.

Repeat.

* * *

My body couldn't take much more. I was guessing about a week had passed, and I was absolutely at my limit. Every time he finished up he would release my bonds and allow me to lie there until I worked up enough willpower to get myself down. And I got down off that table every time, no matter how badly it hurt me.

He was toying me. He knew how much I hated him, I could read it in his eyes as he watched me struggle to sit up, push myself away from my bloody seat. He wanted to see how I could go before I gave in.

Every time my feet touched the floor and I took a limping step forward, he'd get a smirk on his face, as if I'd somehow pleased him. It pissed me off.

At night, as I crouched in my cell, nursing my wounds, I dreamed of all the ways I was going to kill him.

According to the number of times I'd been into Naraku's "office," more than two weeks had passed.

There was still no sign of rescue.

I continued with my plan.

It was after the twentieth session that he dangled the ring in front of me.

I struggled to breathe, each indrawn gasp sounding wet and labored. I think he'd managed to puncture a lung.

"Remember this?" he questioned.

I could barely focus on the shiny object and after a couple of seconds I gave up and closed my eyes. I wasn't getting up from this one.

I flinched and jerked, my eyes opening wide as he slung a heavy chain across my arms.

He studied me for a moment and then slipped the ring on my finger.

My Demon Ring.

My body began to heal itself as it shifted into another form, and I immediately snarled and yanked against my bonds, breathing in through newly shaped lungs.

"This form has a much higher tolerance for pain," Naraku intoned, watching dispassionately as I struggled to free myself. "It also fixes you up like new."

I'd forgotten how thrilling and overwhelming youkai senses were. I could taste Naraku's excitement as he leaned in close to me.

"I can bring you to the brink of death and then snatch you back again, Kagome."

He stared at me, letting those words sink in, and then he suddenly reached forward, grasped my wrist, and twisted the ring from my finger. The strength of his grip scared me.

"Go get some rest," he sneered as he released me. "You'll need all your strength for tomorrow's session."

_This is not good,_ I thought as I followed my escort back to my prison.

My body was healed, and I felt better than I had in weeks. The sudden lack of pain, the ease in which Naraku had healed my wounds…. It was absolutely terrifying. He could gut me from throat to pelvis, watch me struggle for a bit, and then slide that ring onto my finger and do it all over again.

And again.

And again.

Until I cracked.

_I have to get out of here._

I was feeling unusually coherent as I followed Manasa down the white walled hallways, my mind was whirling with ideas, all involving escape. I stared at the back of her head absent-mindedly, watching the little bits of bead and shiny jewels click in her hair as she moved forward.

Something in the mass glinted metallically, catching my attention.

_Wait a minute…Is that?_

I squinted and leaned forward, my heart beginning to pound.

_It is._

Dangling just below her right ear, braided into her thick black hair, was one small, silver lock. A very _familiar_ small, silver lock.

I slowed my pace and tried to calm myself. I didn't want her to sense my excitement and grow suspicious.

There was about 6 feet of space separating me from that lock.

We were nearly back to the cell.

It was now or never.

I kept my pace steady and gaze trained on my target as I deftly unbraided the strings of my bracelet. One last strip of leather was all that held it together. It had taken me weeks to get it to this point, fragile enough that I could rip through the bracelet at any given moment, twisting it back together every night so that my captors wouldn't notice.

I brought it to my lips, tasting the leather.

And then I closed my teeth around it, snapping the last strip in two.

For a moment, nothing happened, and I drew to a stop. Manasa paused as well and turned her head to the side, staring at me over her shoulder. If she saw my bracelet on the floor, I was done for. I shot forward, rushing toward her in hopes that she would be completely caught off guard.

As soon as I moved, my powers flared to life, releasing a huge pulse of energy through the hallway.

Our eyes met half a second before my hands closed over her shoulder blades, and I could tell she knew exactly what was about to happen to her. She tried to move at the last minute, but my fingertips had already connected with her skin. I'd worn that bracelet for more than 3 weeks, and so when I finally released my power into her body, it was 3 weeks worth of contained energy.

She seized and let out an anguished scream, then began squirming in desperation.

I removed my hands and ducked away from the thrashing bulk of her body; seconds later she exploded into purified dust.

Trinkets rained to the ground all around me, bouncing in a million different directions.

My eyes darted after the shiny objects. and I fell to my knees, sifting through the mess in desperation. It took me an entire 60 seconds to find what I was seeking.

My hands shook as I raised it to my face and traced the familiar outline.

Its energy coursed through my entire body, and I knew at once that Kikyo's concealment spell was still intact.

A tear slid down my face as I gripped the lock and pushed my power through it.

_Please, work._

Like a thread snapping under pressure, I felt the spell on the lock shatter.

It was done.

I stood up shakily and took off down a random hallway, knowing Naraku was bound to have felt the sudden explosion of power.

_It's okay. You'll be fine._

Because whether or not it took 1 hour or 1 week, help finally was on the way.

-End—

* * *

Review! Review! Review!

Oh...did I mention that you should review?

No?

Well...You should review. Just saying.

-RedThread


	43. Too Easy

Had some time to sit down and write...so I did. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha

* * *

Chapter 43: Too Easy

-Start—

My feet slapped loudly down the corridor as I sprinted around another corner. I had absolutely no idea where I was headed, and it didn't matter so long as it was away from Naraku. So far I'd been lucky enough not to encounter anybody. I turned one more corner and then paused with my back pressed against a wall, chest heaving in exertion. I'd been without my powers for so long I'd almost forgotten what it was like to have them back. I cleared my mind and sent out a gentle probe of power, searching for other auras.

There were two groups of energy moving toward me.

The dark aura belonged to Naraku and the tainted Shikon no Tama; they were headed toward me fast.

The other aura was coming from above, and it was harder to pinpoint. I couldn't tell if it was friend or foe.

I pushed away from the wall and took off in the opposite direction of Naraku. Blood smeared the wall where I'd been standing.

I cursed and kept moving.

It was only a matter of time before Naraku cornered me anyways. No point in worrying about leading him toward me. My location was probably as glaringly obvious as his.

I kept running, always keeping his presence at my back.

He was gaining.

The energy from above had grown closer too, pressing down on me like a weight.

_Wait a minute._

I skidded to a stop, head cocked in concentration.

_Could it be?_

I shot off down a hallway to my right, angling toward this other aura. What I initially thought to be one massive aura actually felt more like a collection of several.

But it was friendly aura.

_They're here!_

I raced toward them, and behind me, even closer now, Naraku followed.

I crashed through a pair of double doors at the end of another godforsaken hallway and suddenly found myself in the middle of huge, semi-lit room. The vaulted ceiling rose high, cast in shadow. There were no windows, only one other pair of doors on the opposite side from where I stood. It could probably fit a crowd of about 100. It was the perfect place to hold meetings with a select few, to strategize against your enemies.

I started forward, turning in a circle as I walked across the room, staring straight above at the ceiling. My rescuers were literally right above me, hovering just on the other side of the roof.

I could feel their hesitation.

_Come on…You're going to have to make a doorway. There's no other way in. _

They knew I was here, right below. Kikyo had to know.

A dark wave of malice swept up behind me, and I turned back toward the double doors through which I'd entered, snapping my chin back down. Naraku stood completely still in the doorway, his dark eyes glowing red with excitement.

He laughed, long and low, sending chills up my spine as the sound echoed round the empty room. "And so the final confrontation begins," he said easily, a small smile curving his mouth.

I clenched my fists and took a step backwards.

"Touch me and I will kill you," I said in surprisingly steady voice.

He moved forward one step, two…and then he was a blur as he shot toward me.

My bare feet fought for purchase on the tiled floor as I scrambled toward the other side of the room. Pink light erupted from my hands and I pushed them forward in an attempt to create a barrier around myself.

Naraku went through it like it wasn't even there.

He slammed into me and we both went crashing to the ground. I thrashed under his weight, pressing my energy charged hands into his face, against his chest, around his arms.

The Jewel was protecting him. I could feel it throbbing with darkness, dangling around his neck on a thin chain of silver.

Suddenly, an ominous cracking sound echoed throughout the room, and both of us paused for half a second, glancing up just as a huge fissure split the stone roof. Water streamed to the floor from the growing break.

"Do you get it yet, Kagome?" Naraku asked as he wrapped his pale fingers around my neck. "We're under a lake. Wasn't that clever of me?"

I couldn't breathe, could barely think straight, but I_ could_ feel the friendly auras above beginning to recede, drifting away almost lazily.

_No!_ I panicked. _Come back! _

It took a moment, but they did, becoming strong once again, just on the other side of the stone roof.

Another cracking sound, more water gushing, Naraku hauling me to the other side of the room, his forearm crushing my windpipe. All at once a portion of the roof caved, sending huge chunks of stone to the floor as well as a waterfall of murky water.

Several shapes tumbled through with the water, falling to the ground hard, sputtering curses and coughing for air.

"_Goddammit!_ You're losing your touch with that sword, Mutt-face."

"Shut up, asshole! I got us through, didn't I?"

"Did everyone make it?"

_Cough, cough…cough, cough._

"Where is she?"

I took everyone in at once, my eyes darting over their faces, searching for one in particular.

Shippo.

Inuyasha.

Kikyo.

Koga.

And there, straightening up, pushing back the red bandana that stretched wetly across his forehead, was Yash.

Alive.

He was alive.

I relaxed in relief for a split-second, allowing myself to stare at him and watch him move.

_Thank, God._

And then the moment passed and I realized that I was not in an ideal position.

I watched as they all turned toward Naraku, taking in my appearance, settling into defensive crouches. I was still in my bloody hospital gown, barefoot, wild-eyed, trapped under the weight of Naraku's arm. He had his hand over my mouth, suffocating my voice. I could feel the pulse of the Shikon against my back.

Before anybody could remark, Inuyasha broke away from the group, sprinting toward us with a fierce cry. He held a huge sword in his grip and he swung it forward, releasing a wave of energy.

The attack flew toward where my captor held me, rushing over the gathering water fast enough to leave a wake. Naraku didn't move, didn't even flinch. The attack broke on an invisible barrier, dissolving harmlessly around us in a flash of bright light.

"I see 550 years hasn't helped your attack strategy, Inuyasha," he taunted. "Rushing blindly has never worked, yet you still continue to do it." Naraku stared at the glaring hanyou from half-lidded eyes, completely unconcerned. "So predictable."

Inuyasha bared his teeth in a snarl. "Now, Kikyo!"

My eyes switched to my half-sister who was standing just behind the hanyou. Her arm was taut, holding the bowstring with deadly precision, a notched arrow ready to let loose. She let go and the arrow was gone, moving faster than my vision could follow.

A crack.

There was a small crack in Naraku's barrier -visible only because the air looked slightly wavy—where the brunt of Inuyasha's blow had landed. I watched as the barrier mended itself, the air straightening back to perfect clarity.

_The arrow won't get through._

But somehow it did.

And Kikyo's arrow struck true, lodging just inches from my head in the middle of Naraku's exposed throat. Blood shot everywhere. He gurgled in surprise and his grip slipped, allowing me to push out of his arms. I immediately turned and stuck my hand into the front of his shirt, seizing hold of the cool black marble that hung there.

Naraku fell to his knees. I twisted my hand, ripped the Shikon no Tama from his bleeding neck and tossed it as hard as I could across the room. It landed with a splash and sank out of sight in the black water, which was now lapping at my calves, turning crimson where I stood. Naraku was on all fours, his head hanging low and the arrow sticking out at a grotesque angle.

_This is too simple. _ I thought as I stared down at his crumpled body. _Too simple._

And then Yash was there, breaking my reverie and tugging me away.

"—go now! Come _on_!" he was saying.

My thoughts cleared. I yanked my arm out of his grip and snapped into action. Squatting, I was able to push Naraku's upper body back so that his chin was on my shoulder and my mouth was next to his ear.

The water covered my stomach, and the blood from my gown mixed in the dark liquid dripping down Naraku's body.

"I don't know what you're planning," I whispered. "But it's not going to work." And then I gripped the arrow in his throat and lit it with every ounce of miko power I possessed. His body convulsed and he laughed, his mouth forming words I could no longer understand. I stood up, thrusting his glowing body away from me.

Several seconds passed and then Naraku crumbled into a fine pink dust.

I turned back to the others and met their stares. Nobody made a sound.

"Get me out of here."

They stared a moment longer and then Kikyo moved, notching another arrow and aiming it upward. The bow twanged as she released, and the arrow disappeared through the hole in the roof, surging up through the still pouring water.

Moments later a rope appeared, an anchor attached to the bottom; it dangled a good 10 feet above our heads, swaying under the constant beat of flowing water.

My eyes traced the path of the waterfall and detachedly I realized that the water in the room was now above my hips.

Shippo sighed, staring upward and then glancing around the large room. "Everyone get on. If the water reaches the lamps on the walls we're all done for."

The air popped and then suddenly Shippo wasn't Shippo. In his place there was what appeared to be a large floating bubble. I blinked at the sudden transformation, but then Inuyasha climbed aboard and we all followed suit.

We were almost to the apex of the roof, next to the dangling rope when I remembered what we were leaving behind.

"Wait!"

I leaned over gauging the depth of the water, how much time I would have to go down and come back up. The Jewel was still down there somewhere.

"We can't leave it!" I shouted over the roar of the newly made waterfall. Yash caught on just as I slipped sideways off of Shippo's body and plunged toward the darkened water.

"Kagome! Don't be stupid!"

I sucked in a breath seconds before I was completely under; the water level now was close to 9 feet. The lamps on the walls were settled at 15 feet. I stilled when I hit the water and allowed gravity to do its work, pulling me deeper. The Shikon was close. I could feel it calling me. I ignited my hands and then kicked forward, looking in the direction I thought it had landed.

I reached a wall and swam along it, seeing nothing but white wall and white tile. Everywhere my light didn't reach was dark and hidden. I kept swimming.

Something moved in my periphery, and I was startled enough that I lost a good portion of the air in my lungs by attempting to scream. I turned in a circle, shining my light, half expecting to see Naraku's pale form looming up out of the darkness.

My lungs were starting to sting. I needed more air. But time was of the essence, and the Jewel was close. So close.

I swam deeper, running my hand along the floor and wall.

Black dots were starting to appear in my vision and my lungs were on fire.

I was just about to kick back to the surface when I saw it.

I heard another body strike the water above me and knew that Yash was coming after me.

_So close…just a little further._

I stretched my hand out, reaching for the small dark marble that glowed pink in the presence of my miko powers. It pulsed with a dark energy of its own, sending out dangerous vibes and luring me closer.

I felt as though time had slowed to a crawl.

My left hand closed over the Jewel and Yash grabbed the crook of my right elbow.

And that was all Naraku needed.

I knew it had been too easy. I knew it. He wouldn't have survived 550 years to be taken down by one arrow to the neck.

The little part that was Naraku's soul detached from the Jewel and slid up my arm, around my neck and into my ear.

_You were right, Kagome, _he said as he settled into my body. _I've been working on this plan for some time now. _

I couldn't control my muscles anymore. My limbs were going limp. The Jewel was still clasped in my hand, and Yash was still clasping onto me. I was vaguely aware that I needed air, that my lungs were filling with water. I was moving upward, but only because Yash was pulling me.

_This is bad,_ I thought, as my body began to shut down. _This is very bad._

* * *

I was floating in the dark, but I wasn't alone.

Across from me, Naraku was smiling. "You understand what's happened, don't you?"

And I did. As though the thought was mine, I suddenly understood everything.

"You've taken over my body," I said matter-of-factly. "Just like you did to Koga 550 years ago."

"I can only do it when my current physical body is on the verge of dying."

"You were in the Jewel?"

"Yes. I called you back and you came."

"Why me?"

"Because now, in order to kill _me_—"

"They'll have to kill me too," I finished.

Naraku's grin widened. "Precisely."

-End—

* * *

Short installment.

But it was a good stopping place, so I figured I'd go ahead and publish it.

Please Review!

Thanks!

-RedThread


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